Do not ban social media for under 16s
217,682 people signed this petition to the UK Parliament after it opened on 11 February 2026; it closed on 11 August 2026. The Government responded on 4 March 2026. A debate is scheduled for 2 November 2026.
The petition
The petition's creator is not named in the Petitions site's published record. Quoted in full from the UK Parliament petitions site.
Do not ban social media for under 16s
I think the government shouldn’t ban social media for under 16s. This is because for many young people social media is how they communicate with their friends. Some people view social media as a lifeline. A community, a supportive network. This is why I think the government shouldn’t ban it.
The Government's response
The Government published its response on 4 March 2026. Its summary:
The government recognises the benefits of digital technologies, including social media, for children. We are consulting on how to ensure children have an enriching and positive experience online.
The opening 392 words of the 678-word response:
I would like to thank all those who signed the petition on this important issue. The government is committed to harnessing the benefits of technology to shape a future that works for us all, particularly for children. To do this, people must have confidence that their children are protected online.
The Online Safety Act (the ‘Act’) is one of the toughest regimes globally in protecting people from illegal content and activity, and children from harmful and age-inappropriate content. Since the Act has come into effect, the government has ensured keeping children safe online remains a priority and have always said we will take further action as necessary.
We know parents are grappling with how much screen time their children should have, when to give them a phone, what they are seeing online, and the impact all of this is having. We also know there are growing concerns among parents, carers and those that work with children about AI, including children forming relationships with chatbots as if they were real people.
Every child deserves the strongest possible start in life, full of love, learning and play. Technology can open up huge opportunities for young people and social media can help children communicate with friends and feel part of a wider community. However, in the age of smartphones, children’s lives are changing rapidly – sometimes faster than families, schools or support services can respond.
There are calls from across the UK for the government to take action, including calls from many to enforce a social media ban for under 16s. However, as is evident from this petition, opinions on a possible social media ban are divided – with some of the most prominent voices believing that social media ban is not the right answer. This demonstrates that, while there are calls for the government to take action, there is still no consensus on how.
The government firmly believes that policy making must give proper consideration to a range of views and be rooted in the best available evidence. That is why, on the 2 March 2026, the government launched a consultation to seek further evidence and views on these issues and possible solutions, including on whether there should be a minimum age for social media, and if so, what age would be right. The responses to this consultation will also help shape decisions on:
Read the full response on the petitions site.
Where the signatures came from
Signatures came from 650 constituencies. Measured against each constituency's electorate at the 2024 general election, the most came from Cities of London and Westminster, with 9.5 signatures per 1,000 electors (694 in all).
216,463 of the signatures were from the UK and 1,219 from elsewhere, by the location signers gave.
| Constituency | Signatures | Electorate, July 2024 | Per 1,000 electors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cities of London and Westminster | 694 | 73,369 | 9.5 |
| Leeds South | 494 | 75,953 | 6.5 |
| Peterborough | 476 | 73,378 | 6.5 |
| St Albans | 464 | 72,739 | 6.4 |
| Telford | 471 | 73,808 | 6.4 |
| Buckingham and Bletchley | 467 | 74,832 | 6.2 |
| Burton and Uttoxeter | 483 | 77,994 | 6.2 |
| Grantham and Bourne | 452 | 73,285 | 6.2 |
| Milton Keynes Central | 503 | 81,078 | 6.2 |
| Blackburn | 450 | 73,263 | 6.1 |
| Region | Signatures |
|---|---|
| South East | 30,488 |
| London | 24,178 |
| North West | 23,977 |
| East of England | 19,983 |
| Scotland | 18,781 |
| West Midlands | 18,714 |
| South West | 18,188 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 17,447 |
| East Midlands | 16,010 |
| Wales | 9,821 |
| North East | 8,203 |
| Northern Ireland | 5,232 |
Debate in Parliament
The Petitions Committee has scheduled a debate for 2 November 2026.
Source and receipt
- https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/757233.jsonUK Parliament Petitions API · read 2026-10-15 · SHA-256
7fd8b5600cf0e594… - The petition on petition.parliament.uk
The petition's words are its creator's and the response is the Government's; this site quotes both and gives no view on either. Signature counts can still change while a petition is open. To report an error, send a correction request.