Children’s and online safety organisations and campaigners have issued a joint statement regarding a social media ban for under-16s – warning of serious unintended consequences that could put children at greater risk.
The joint statement signed by 42 child protection charities and online safety groups, alongside academics and bereaved families, called for bold and decisive legislation that follows the evidence instead.
The statement, signed by Molly Rose Foundation, NSPCC and 5 Rights Foundation, said: “We undoubtedly need action to protect children from preventable online harm. Parents are right to demand that the Government stands on the side of children and families, and finally call time on tech giants being able to treat children’s lives and wellbeing as someone else’s concern.
“Though well-intentioned, blanket bans on social media would fail to deliver the improvement in children’s safety and wellbeing that they so urgently need. They are a blunt response that fails to address the successive shortcomings of tech companies and governments to act decisively and sooner.”
Ian Russell, Chair of Molly Rose Foundation, said: “Parents are rightly demanding bold action on children’s safety and after years of delays and timidity, it’s understandable we feel let down by the unacceptably slow pace of change.
“Bans are the wrong answer to a vital question. They risk unintended consequences that could leave children at greater risk of harm by treating the symptoms, not the problem. They let social media platforms off the hook by weakening the requirement for them to offer safe and high-quality experiences as a precondition for operating in the UK.
“Instead of listening to populist and simplistic calls for bans, the Prime Minister must do what his party promised and strengthen the Online Safety Act, relying on evidence on what’s best for children rather than well-intentioned experiments.”
Chris Sherwood, CEO at the NSPCC, said: “We stand alongside organisations that understand how essential online spaces can be for young people. Yes, there are serious risks that demand urgent action. But for countless children, especially those who feel shut out or unheard offline, social media isn’t a luxury. It’s a lifeline – a source of community, identity, and vital support.
“A blanket ban would take those spaces away overnight and risks driving teenagers into darker, unregulated corners of the internet. Everyone involved in this debate will have the best interests of children at heart, but children’s fundamental right to participate safely in the digital world, to access information, to connect with peers, and to have their voices heard must be protected. They should not be stripped of those rights because tech companies have repeatedly failed to build platforms that protect them.
“Real change must come from the platforms themselves. Tech companies must be held accountable by Government and Ofcom for their harmful design choices, their reckless algorithms, and their failure to take responsibility for dangerous content. Children and young people deserve stronger protections and age-appropriate experiences, which recognise the realities of their lives.”
Leanda Barrington-Leach, Executive Director of 5Rights Foundation, said: “Tech companies have unashamedly exploited children for far too long, deliberately designing and aggressively pushing services that are addictive and manipulative, with devastating consequences for an entire generation. With AI now supercharging these harms, children are demanding swift, robust and thoughtful action.
“Laws banning personalised services such as social media, games and AI chatbots for under-13s must be properly enforced, and new measures are urgently needed to introduce tiered age-gating for risky features used by teenagers. Crucially, companies must not be let off the hook when it comes to keeping all children safe in practice, whether older children or those who, as experience from countries with similar bans makes clear, still find ways around age-gates.
“Children deserve a better internet, and it is our duty to build one that is safe and helps them connect, learn and thrive as they grow. Children should not be banned from the digital world, but companies that exploit children should be banned from accessing them.”
Paddy Crump, Youth Director at FlippGen, said: I am worried about the impact of a ban on young people, as it neglects any positives that come with social media, and could push young people into less regulated spaces.
“I believe in know tech, not no tech, and better solutions would be safety by design and increased education.”
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