The House of Lords has voted to stop under 16s using social media – what happens now?

The House of Lords, October 2025. © House of Lords 2025/Annabel Moeller/Flickr

The House of Lords has voted, by a significant margin of 261 to 150, to prevent children under 16 in the UK from using social media platforms.

There has been growing political interest in introducing a ban after a similar change came into effect in Australia in late 2025. Around 60 Labour MPs have signed a letter publicly calling for the prime minister to act, while the matter was also raised at prime minister’s...