PM 'should back amendment to ban social media for under-16s'

THE Prime Minister should fully support an amendment to ban social media for under-16s, the UK’s largest teaching union has said.

- 

National Education Union (NEU) general secretary Daniel Kebede said Number 10 signalling it is open to raising the age limit for social media “was a welcome shift”.

It comes after 61 Labour MPs, including five from Wales, wrote to the Prime Minister calling for “urgent action” to raise the minimum age for social media platforms to 16.

This week, Lords will vote on an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill which would require social media platforms to stop children under 16 from using their platforms within a year of the bill passing.

Mr Kebede said: “This week's vote is a pivotal moment. No.10 has already signalled it won't stand in the way of raising the age from 13 to 16. This was a welcome shift.

“The additional pressure from Labour backbench MPs needs to move Keir Starmer to full support of this amendment to ban social media for under 16s.