Daily Mirror

Children in UK face social media ban, addictive app restrictions and tough Ofsted phone checks

Financial Times

The inarguable case for banning social media for teens

Reuters

Uk Launches Consultation Childrens Social Media Use Including Possible Ban 2026 01 19

BBC News

UK to consult on social media ban for under 16s

Government To Hold Consultation On Social Media Ban For Under 16S

Metaculus

Eu Age Verification On Social Mediaai In 2026

Thred

Opinion  Australias social media ban is kind of ludicrous?

Guardian

Social media is corrupting young minds – but a ban is not the answer | Zoe Williams

SteveChalke

KemiBadenoch

The Telegraph

If Had Teenager Rather Were Addicted Smoking Than Scroling

The Sun

Captcha Page

The Times

Labour to draw up plans for banning under-16s from social media

Independent

Dozens of Labour MPs sign letter urging Australia-style social media ban for under-16s

Express.co.uk

Keir Starmer could ban under 16s from social media

Morningstaronline

More 60 Labour Mps Back Under 16 Social Media Ban

ITV News

LabourList

Dozens of Labour MPs call on PM to introduce social media ban for under-16s

Under 16S Face Social Media Ban Under Labour Plans

UK ministers launch consultation on whether to ban social media for under-16s

Daily Mail

Sir Keir Starmer opens the door to Australia-style social media ban for under-16s to see off major backbench rebellion

Sky News

Politics latest: Esther Rantzen branded 'distasteful and disrespectful' as MPs debated assisted dying bill

GOV.UK

Government to drive action to improve childrens relationship with mobile phones and social media

Elon Musk

Rishi Sunak

Kamala Harris

Bill Gates

Andrew Ng

Yoshua Bengio

Fei-Fei Li

Demis Hassabis

Melanie Mitchell

Sam Altman

Dario Amodei

Geoffrey Hinton

Yann LeCun

Gary Marcus

Max Tegmark

Connor Leahy

Eliezer Yudkowsky

Jaan Tallinn

Marc Andreessen

Eric Schmidt

Norbert Wiener

Arthur Clarke

Irving John Good

Claude Shannon

Hans Moravec

John Smart

There's a "wall of fear-mongering and doomerism" in the AI world right now.

"Worrying about AI today is like worrying about overpopulation on Mars."

Concerns that AI could pose a threat to humanity is "preposterously ridiculous."

Claiming AI poses an existential threat is "such an extreme" and risks "wip[ing] out some of its potential benefits."

"I'm more concerned about... the risks that are here and now [than the existential threat of AI]."

Current AI is "not anywhere close" to posing an existential threat but it could in the future.

AI is the "biggest existential threat" to humanity.

AGI's worst-case scenario would be "lights-out for all of us."

Powerful AI systems "taking control" pose an "existential threat."

AI has a "10 to 25 per cent" chance of destroying humanity.

"The most likely result of building a superhumanly smart AI... is that literally everyone on Earth will die."

Does AI Pose an Existential Threat to Humanity?

John Rentoul

Chris Hopkins

Wes Streeting

Lee Harris

The Daily Express

John Rees

George Galloway

Samara Gill

Isabel Oakeshott

Esther McVey

Charlie Rowley

"The way things are going, just a year in — I genuinely think he will leave. I think he will be forced out."

"Starmer might have to go in months."

"I predict that before this year is out, Keir Starmer will be out."

"I don't think he will survive a year [as prime minister]."

"Of course [he will be prime minister till 2029]."

How Long Will Keir Starmer Be UK's Prime Minister?

The UK government announced a consultation on Monday to explore options for restricting children's social media access, including a potential ban for under-16s similar to Australia's policy enacted in December. The consultation will also examine raising the digital age of consent from 13 to 16 and limiting addictive features such as infinite scrolling and streaks.

The UK government announced a consultation on Monday to explore options for restricting children's social media access, including a potential ban for under-16s similar to Australia's policy enacted in December. The consultation will also examine raising the digital age of consent from 13 to 16 and limiting addictive features such as infinite scrolling and streaks.

More than 60 Labour MPs signed a letter urging Prime Minister Keir Starmer to introduce a minimum age of 16 for social media access, arguing that Britain risks being left behind as countries like Australia, Denmark, France and Norway take action. The MPs stated that children are anxious, unhappy and unable to focus on learning due to unregulated platforms.

More than 60 Labour MPs signed a letter urging Prime Minister Keir Starmer to introduce a minimum age of 16 for social media access, arguing that Britain risks being left behind as countries like Australia, Denmark, France and Norway take action. The MPs stated that children are anxious, unhappy and unable to focus on learning due to unregulated platforms.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch criticized the government's consultation as "more dither and delay," stating the Conservatives had already pledged to ban social media for under-16s if they return to power. She said the announcement was an attempt to copy the Conservative proposal made a week earlier without getting it right.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch criticized the government's consultation as "more dither and delay," stating the Conservatives had already pledged to ban social media for under-16s if they return to power. She said the announcement was an attempt to copy the Conservative proposal made a week earlier without getting it right.

Esther Ghey, mother of murdered teenager Brianna Ghey, wrote to party leaders supporting a ban, stating her daughter had a social media addiction and desperately wanted to be TikTok famous. She said Brianna developed an eating disorder and self-harmed, with harmful online content significantly exacerbating these issues.

Esther Ghey, mother of murdered teenager Brianna Ghey, wrote to party leaders supporting a ban, stating her daughter had a social media addiction and desperately wanted to be TikTok famous. She said Brianna developed an eating disorder and self-harmed, with harmful online content significantly exacerbating these issues.

More than 40 child protection charities and online safety groups, including the NSPCC and the Molly Rose Foundation, issued a statement opposing a blanket ban, warning of unintended consequences. Ian Russell, whose daughter Molly took her own life after viewing harmful content, fears a ban could push vulnerable children into darker, unregulated spaces online.

More than 40 child protection charities and online safety groups, including the NSPCC and the Molly Rose Foundation, issued a statement opposing a blanket ban, warning of unintended consequences. Ian Russell, whose daughter Molly took her own life after viewing harmful content, fears a ban could push vulnerable children into darker, unregulated spaces online.

The government announced that Ofsted will examine schools' mobile phone policies during inspections to ensure pupils do not have access to devices during lessons, breaks or lunch times. Ministers will also publish screen time guidance for parents of children aged five to 16, with guidance for under-fives coming in April.

The government announced that Ofsted will examine schools' mobile phone policies during inspections to ensure pupils do not have access to devices during lessons, breaks or lunch times. Ministers will also publish screen time guidance for parents of children aged five to 16, with guidance for under-fives coming in April.

UK Considers Social Media Ban for Under-16s

UK Considers Social Media Ban for Under-16s

The Controversies

Andreessen

Ng

LeCun

Mitchell

Li

Bengio

Musk

Altman

Hinton

Amodei

Yudkowsky

Rowley

News

Galloway

Gill

Streeting

Go Deeper

Articles on this story

Sign Up for Our Free Newsletters
Sign Up for Our Free Newsletters

UK Considers Social Media Ban for Under-16s

UK Considers Social Media Ban for Under-16s

The Controversies

Andreessen

Ng

LeCun

Mitchell

Li

Bengio

Musk

Altman

Hinton

Amodei

Yudkowsky

Rowley

News

Galloway

Gill

Streeting

Go Deeper

Articles on this story

Sign Up for Our Free NewslettersSign Up for Our Free Newsletters

Sign Up for Our Free Newsletters
Sign Up for Our Free Newsletters