Britain asks parents: Should social media be banned for under-16s?

Britain is seeking the views of parents and children on whether to ban access to social media for under-16s, as well as possible restrictions on ​gaming platforms and artificial intelligence chatbots.



Governments worldwide are trying to limit the impact of social media and gaming on children's mental health and sleep, with parents feeling outpaced by platforms built to maximise the time young users spend online.



Australia introduced a ban on social media for under-16s in December, and other governments, including Britain's, are weighing similar moves.



British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said he wants to introduce new powers to protect children, beyond those in an Online Safety Act which is only two-and-a-half years old.



The three-month consultation, starting on Monday, will look at measures ranging from a possible minimum age for social media to bans on addictive design features and overnight curfews for under-16s.



"We know parents everywhere are grappling with how much screen time their children should have, when they should give them a phone, what they are seeing online, and the impact all of this is having," technology minister Liz Kendall said in a statement.