Children are now spending record amounts of time online. Those aged between 8-14 are spending on average three hours online daily, rising to four hours for 13-14 year olds. There are significant benefits from the digital world but worryingly, 70 per cent of them have been exposed to videos of real-life violence online.
The mounting evidence clearly shows how social media harms children’s well-being, causes poor sleep, isolation, and is contributing to negative effects on children’s learning and behaviour. Only this weekend, the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges warned of the growing evidence of “health harms”.
When they are online children are routinely exposed to extreme violence, sexual content, and online strangers in ways that would be considered unacceptable offline. If this happened in the real world, parents would not tolerate it. Online, age protections have drifted away. This situation is not inevitable. It can and needs to change.
Conservatives have always acted to protect children, while allowing adults to go about their lives freely.
I am instinctively sceptical about increasing restrictions and rules. Primarily, it is a parent’s responsibility to protect their children and to make decisions about what they are able to access. Giving them additional tools to do that on digital apps and devices has been part of the approach to date. However, government also has a duty to set clear, enforceable rules that help parents and put children first.
It is important to recognise how these online platforms work. Algorithms are deliberately engineered to be addictive, feeding anxiety, comparison, and constant distraction. Allowing children’s attention and well-being to become the business model is not acceptable.
Many parents raised their concerns and the need for change with me and MPs across Parliament. Having listened and considered the evidence carefully a future Conservative government would introduce proportionate age restrictions on social media platforms for under-16s to support parents in protecting their children. Tech companies, such as TikTok, would be required to put in place effective age verification measures.
Since December last year, a similar restriction has been put in place in Australia. No measure is 100 per cent effective and we would learn lessons from its implementation to ensure a practical and effective model for the UK.
So far the Prime Minister has refused to support let alone implement such changes. Under pressure from his Health Secretary and some MPs, he now seems to be rethinking his position. Whether from a position of weakness or not, this apparent shift will be welcome if it materialises. Fortunately, on Wednesday Parliament will be asked to vote on our proposals. Let’s hope Labour supports this measure.
This policy also sits alongside our commitment to restrict mobile phones in schools. Together they reflect a simple Conservative principle: children need space to learn, concentrate and mature before being pushed into adult pressures and adult content.
We want to support parents, not sideline them. And we want to protect freedom for adults while giving children the chance of a healthy upbringing. That's what our plans aim to achieve.
Protecting childhood matters. Parents should always be the first line of defence when it comes to protecting children and as Conservatives, we want to give parents the support in doing so.
