The UK government plans to implement a ban restricting children under 16 from accessing certain social media platforms, with an option for safer apps to avoid the restriction if they can demonstrate enhanced protections. Digital Secretary Lisa Nandy outlined the approach at a fringe meeting during the Labour conference held with the Molly Rose Foundation, a charity established in memory of Molly Russell, a teenager who died by suicide after exposure to harmful online content.

Nandy emphasized that forthcoming legislation will not solely target specific social media companies but will focus on features considered unsafe for children. These include addictive elements such as autoplay, infinite scroll, push notifications, streaks, location sharing enabled by default, and unregulated recommendation algorithms. Nandy stated that companies could remove or alter these features to potentially remove themselves from the list of banned platforms.

The proposed policy marks a shift away from the Australian model of a blanket ban for under-16s towards a more nuanced Canadian-style "presumptive ban." This alternative allows children to use platforms that prove they have adequate safety measures in place, rather than imposing an outright prohibition across the board.

The approach has drawn mixed reactions among child safety advocates. Some groups, including the Molly Rose Foundation, oppose blanket bans, arguing such measures might discourage social media companies from innovating and enhancing safety features. They also warn that blanket bans risk pushing young users toward less regulated or underground platforms that may present greater risks.

The Online Safety Network, a coalition of experts, has helped identify specific features deemed harmful and addictive. Former Ofcom official Owen Bennett noted that adopting this feature-focused regulatory framework would represent a significant change from traditional approaches to online safety, which have tended to target entire platforms rather than individual functionalities.

The government’s intention is to legislate comprehensively to safeguard children online, while providing a pathway for technology companies to adapt their products in ways that allow continued access for younger users. The outcome of this evolving policy framework will be closely watched by regulators, industry stakeholders, and child welfare groups alike.