Half of parents would ignore under-16s social media ban

Matthew Field

Sun, 22 February 2026 at 11:37 pm GMT+9 3 min read

Half of parents would ignore a ban on social media for under-16-year-olds and allow their children on to services such as Instagram or Snapchat, the Government has been warned.

A survey from Public First, shared with ministers, reported that 50pc of parents would still allow their children to access social apps even if they were nominally barred from them.

It also found that 68pc of families believed their children would still find a way around the block and 45pc feared that their children would use unregulated apps instead.

Despite admitting they would allow their children to circumvent the rules, 64pc of parents still said they supported the proposed restrictions.

Labour has launched a fresh crackdown on tech giants after Australia became the first country to enact a ban on under-16-year-olds accessing social media. The law has prompted calls from Labour MPs to follow suit.

No 10 was previously against a blanket ban but shifted stance following pressure from backbenchers.

Ministers are now preparing a consultation on setting a minimum age for access to social media and banning addictive features such as endless scrolling.

They are also considering limiting children’s access to virtual private networks, or VPNs, which can be used to hide an internet user’s identity.

Sir Keir Starmer last week said Labour was planning to bring in new rules “in a matter of months”. He said once the policy was decided, Labour would “waste no time in getting on with it”.

‘Support proves fragile’

New restrictions on social media have won widespread support from parents and schools. Smartphone Free Childhood, a group that campaigns to limit access to smartphones for teenagers, has more than 180,000 supporters.

But experts have warned that a ban on children accessing social media would face practical challenges.

VPN apps could be used to bypass the blocks. These apps have seen a surge in use since the Government introduced mandatory age checks for pornography sites last year.

Children could also lie about their age.

Ofcom research has found that 40pc of under-13-year-olds have a social media profile, despite most apps blocking children from using them in their terms.

A report from Public First, which conducted the polling, found: “Headline support for a ban is high, but this support proves fragile when the policy is tested against practical realities.

“Even if a ban was in place, 50pc of parents said that they would likely still let their child access social media.”

Public First also found that parents preferred alternative restrictions, short of a blanket ban. They favoured options such as time restrictions or mandatory parental consent for setting up an app.

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A Government spokesman said: “We recognise that enforcement of any age restriction is only as strong as the tools and support behind it. We will shortly consult on a range of potential measures.

“Crucially, we want to make sure we fully understand the likely impact and effectiveness of any measures before we act.”

The spokesman added: “That’s why, through the National Conversation, we are engaging extensively with parents and young people themselves – because their experiences and insights will be central to shaping what we do.”

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