Tulip Siddiq MP welcomes social media ban for Under-16s
Ansar Ahmed Ullah
Contributing Editor,Shottobani
London: Tulip Siddiq MP has welcomed the Government’s announcement of plans to introduce a social media ban for children under the age of 16, following months of campaigning on the issue.
The MP said she believes the long-term impact of excessive social media use will eventually be viewed in the same way as the health harms caused by cigarettes, describing stronger protections for young people as an important step forward. To inform her work, Siddiq launched an online survey to gather the views of local parents and young people. More than 500 people took part, with 81% supporting a ban on social media accounts for under-16s. Nearly 80% also raised concerns about addictive platform features such as infinite scrolling and highly personalised algorithms.
Tulip Siddiq said the findings demonstrated overwhelming support among her constituents for stronger online protections and that she had passed these views directly to the Government. She also welcomed the Government’s decision to consult before bringing forward legislation, arguing that careful scrutiny is essential to ensure any new laws are effective and proportionate. During visits to local schools, Siddiq said young people spoke about the need for greater education on responsible social media use. While many acknowledged the benefits of social media, including making friends and learning new skills, they also highlighted how existing age restrictions are easily bypassed, suggesting that ID checks alone would not be sufficient to enforce a ban.
The Government has given technology companies three months to introduce the new protections. Siddiq said that if firms fail to act, stronger enforcement measures should remain under consideration, including financial penalties for non-compliant companies and potential criminal liability for senior executives. Looking ahead, Tulip Siddiq said she will continue to campaign for stronger safeguards to protect young people online while ensuring the views of her constituents remain central to the debate.