Leicester doctor calls for under-16s social media ban after PM meets tech bosses
Paediatrician says restrictions won’t go far enough and urges full ban to protect children online
A Leicester Consultant Paediatrician is calling for an outright ban on social media for under-16s, saying anything short of a full ban will fail to protect children.
It comes after Sir Keir Starmer met with social media companies yesterday to discuss ways of improving online safety for young people, following MPs’ rejection of proposals for a platform ban.
Australia has already brought in a ban for under 16s.
Dr Sanjiv Nichani said he was “bitterly disappointed” by the decision, accusing MPs of delaying action while children continue to be affected by what he described as harmful online content and addictive algorithms.
He argued that so-called partial restrictions would be ineffective, saying teenagers are likely to bypass them.
He said a full ban would give parents and schools clearer authority to enforce limits, and would eventually become normalised for future generations:
The Government need to declare that social media is inappropriate for under 16s. As soon as they do that, it will give parents and teachers the ammunition to enforce it lawfully."
Dr Nichani also described government engagement with tech firms as ineffective, saying meaningful change would only come through stronger enforcement and legal pressure.
He added that only an outright ban, backed by tougher regulation, would properly protect young people online.
A consultation on restrictions remains open - with the Prime Minister saying he'll do whatever is 'necessary to keep children safe online'.