Under-16s Social Media Vote: “The Time for Half-Measures is Over”

Responding to the 15 April 2026 vote, in which she backed House of Lords amendments to strengthen online protections for children, Jess Brown-Fuller MP has called for decisive action to improve child safety in the digital age.

The UK government has been consulting on a potential social media ban for under-16s to combat harmful content and addiction, following similar moves in Australia. The House of Lords has repeatedly backed a proposed amendment to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, forcing a ban on social media for UK under-16s. 

This follows Jess Brown-Fuller’s ongoing criticism of the prominence of screens in young people’s lives, including her call for the government to back Liberal Democrat proposals introducing an age-rating system for smartphone apps.

Speaking after the vote, Jess said:

“The time for half-measures is over - we need action now to restrict the most harmful platforms for under-16s.

Jess Brown-Fuller is taking action to improve child safety.

“The Liberal Democrats will continue to push for statutory guidance on smartphone bans in schools, so children can focus on learning in the classroom without unnecessary distraction.

“Online safety should not be a party-political issue, as it’s about putting children’s wellbeing first. We will continue to work across Parliament to ensure these protections are delivered.

“The government is moving closer to the Liberal Democrat position by recognising that children of different ages require different protections online. That is exactly what we have set out with our proposals for social media age-rating.”