Britain's House of Lords sparked heated debate this week after approving a controversial amendment to ban social media access for under-16s. The move comes as pressure mounts on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to follow Australia's 2025 precedent. 📱🚫
In a late-night vote Wednesday, peers from across party lines supported the measure 261-150. Conservative architect John Nash called it "the first step to stop social media's catastrophic harm" on youth mental health. The proposal now heads to the House of Commons, where over 60 Labour MPs are urging Starmer to act fast.
While Australia's December 2025 ban serves as inspiration, the UK government wants to wait for its summer 2026 consultation results before committing. "We won't rule anything out," Starmer said Monday, balancing child protection concerns with tech industry pushback.
Gen-Z activists have flooded TikTok with #ScreenFreeTeens videos, while parent groups applaud the cross-party effort. But digital rights advocates warn of enforcement challenges – after all, who hasn't lied about their age online? 😅
