Opposition to Social Media Age Limits and Digital ID

I believe it is important that any age-verification system considers people’s legitimate concerns. I agree with you about the importance of respecting privacy. Any system must also meet the highest standards of data security. This will be achieved through encryption and authentication, and by decentralising data storage.

Our Government expects that many adults will not need to complete new checks because their age may already have been verified through an existing account, a linked payment method, an age-verified email address, or verification completed under the Online Safety Act. For other accounts, verification could be as simple as a facial recognition check.

This is a sensitive issue for many people, and I know there are strongly held views on both sides of the argument. That is why it was right for our Government to consult on this issue, and I held a roundtable here in Redcar to make sure that we could directly contribute to the consultation and to hear as many perspectives as possible. This consultation received over 116,000 responses: 54,000 from parents and 14,000 from children. Our Government also heard from charities, teachers, police and medical professionals. The consultation, including the feedback from my local roundtable, showed overwhelmingly that parents and children are concerned about what young people are being exposed to. Nine out of ten parents who responded said they wanted an outright ban, alongside strong backing from wider surveys.

Keeping children safe is our Government’s top priority, which is why it will lay regulations so that under‑16s will no longer be able to use certain social media from spring 2027. It is also essential that any proposals are scrutinised properly. Regulations will be laid before Parliament by the end of this year, allowing MPs and Peers time to debate and vote on a ban. I can further assure you that regulations will be enforced by Ofcom, the independent regulator.

I know that many people also value Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) for privacy and security reasons. Our Government recognises these legitimate uses, and is not planning to age-gate or ban them.

I also understand the concerns some people have around digital ID. The new Prime Minister has decided to scrap the digital ID scheme, with the resources that were going to be spent being redirected to tackling the cost of living, improving everyday life and strengthening local economies. I think this is the right decision.