The science secretary has said he will “keep everything on the table” when it comes to restricting social media for children aged under 16 if tech companies do not act.
Peter Kyle told Sky News he wanted the regulator Ofcom to be “more assertive” when it comes to “grotesque” behaviour on social media – including where teenagers have lost their lives.
But campaigners are already calling for stricter measures including banning smartphones in all schools – which the government has not backed, saying it should be up to headteachers.
There are also calls to ban social media for under-16s, a measure which the government in Australia has said it will legislate to introduce and which is being watched carefully around the world.
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Mr Kyle said he wanted to force social media companies to “bake safety in from the outset” and would consider further measures after commissioning new research into the effects of smartphones and social media on children.
“I am demanding that the regulator will be more assertive when it comes to protecting children online,” he said.
“I don’t want to go to things like blanket bans because I want people to benefit from all of the opportunities presented by modern technology. But where there are harms, I will keep everything on the table when it comes to keeping people safe.”
Last year, the Online Safety Act was passed in the UK, a landmark law intended to protect children and vulnerable people from illegal and harmful content, including violence, explicit material and disinformation.
Ofcom will start to enforce its powers on tech companies from spring next year, including fines and prison sentences for tech bosses who fail to protect children.
But experts and parents’ groups are already urging the government to go further.
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