Starmer set to BAN under-16s from social media to tackle mental health epidemic
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SIR Keir Starmer is expected to ban social media for under-16s, The Sun on Sunday can reveal.
The PM is under massive pressure to act amid warnings that doom scrolling is causing a mental health epidemic among Britain’s youth.
The government is currently consulting on various proposals to curb how children can access social media.
But we can reveal that Downing Street policy chiefs have privately said they expect a total ban on social media for under 16s.
The PM is expected to announce the new crackdown alongside investment for youth sport.
A Whitehall source said: “The expectation is he goes with the full ban now.”
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Another said: “It is a policy which is free and actually popular.
“So if the PM is thinking of a legacy announcement, this would be one he can actually get past the backbenches.”
The final decision will only be signed off after the consultation formally closes on Tuesday.
The Tories have been calling for a social media ban for under 16s for some time.
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The Education Select Committee of MPs also support a ban. In a report earlier this week, they said Sir Keir must act “before it’s too late”.
The government said no decision has been taken and the consultation is ongoing.
Sir Keir has said he will act to curb social media use among kids.
In an interview earlier this year, he said: “We’ll go through the consultation, but I think I’ll be absolutely clear, things will not stay as they are.
“This is going to change. I don’t think the next generation would forgive us if we didn’t act now.”
Online Safety Minister Kanishka Narayan is visiting Australia this week. Australia is the first country in the world to ban social media for under 16s.