15th June 2026
The UK Government’s announcement of plans to restrict social media access for under-16s is a significant development, reflecting the depth of concern from families about children’s experiences online.
From my engagement with thousands of children and young people across Wales, I am clear about two things. First, the risks children face online are real and, in some cases, serious, including exposure to harmful content, bullying, pressure driven by platform design, and contact from strangers. Second, digital spaces are not peripheral to childhood; they are central to how children connect with friends, express themselves, learn, and access support.
That is why this cannot be approached as a simple question of removing children from the online world. The central issue is whether the environments they are using are safe.
I recognise why the Government is proposing stronger action, and there is merit in exploring clearer boundaries around access, particularly where this helps to drive long overdue change. Raising expectations about what is age-appropriate online sends an important signal and reflects growing public concern.
However, age-based restrictions on their own will not make the internet safer. Evidence from children shows that harms are not limited to a narrow group of platforms, and that young people will often find ways to navigate around restrictions where digital life is so important to them. There is a real risk that activity could shift into less visible or less regulated spaces if the focus is too narrow.
For me, the most important question is not simply whether children should be allowed on social media, but whether social media, and the wider digital ecosystem, is designed and managed in a way that is safe for children in the first place.
This is where responsibility must shift.
For too long, the burden of managing online risk has been placed on children, parents and schools. That is neither fair nor effective. Technology companies design these environments, control the systems that shape children’s experiences, and profit from them. It is therefore right that they carry far greater responsibility for ensuring those environments are safe by design.
This means going beyond access alone and focusing much more directly on the features and systems that create harm, including addictive algorithms, contact with strangers, persuasive design that drives excessive use, and weak moderation. Stronger regulation, clearer standards, and meaningful enforcement will be essential if we are to see real change.
I welcome the Government’s focus on restricting high-risk functionalities, such as livestreaming and interaction with unknown users, as well as the intention to strengthen age assurance. This approach reflects what children themselves tell us, that it is often specific features and design choices, rather than individual platforms, that create risk.
In that context, extending robust age verification to gaming platforms and other interactive services is also an important step. Children’s experiences show clearly that these spaces often function as social environments, with similar risks around communication, content, and contact with strangers. Ensuring consistent standards across the wider digital ecosystem will be critical if protections are to be meaningful in practice.
Any reforms must also be grounded in children’s rights. Children have the right to be protected from harm, but also to participate, to access information, and to connect with others. These rights must be carefully balanced, and children themselves must be part of shaping the solutions.
With legislation anticipated to come into force in 2027, there is now a critical window to ensure these proposals are developed in a way that truly reflects children’s lived experiences. It is essential that the UK Government engages directly with children and young people across the UK, including in Wales, so that their voices meaningfully inform how these changes are designed, implemented and enforced.
Crucially, if we are serious about supporting healthier childhoods, we must look beyond the online world altogether. Children consistently tell me they value time with friends, play, and spending time in their communities. Reducing reliance on digital spaces cannot be achieved through restriction alone. It requires significant, sustained investment in youth services, community provision, safe spaces to socialise, and access to sport, arts and creative opportunities.
Without this, there is a risk that we focus only on where children cannot go, without strengthening the places they can.
Ultimately, if this moment is to lead to meaningful change, it must go beyond a debate about banning access. It must drive a more fundamental shift towards a digital environment that is safer, more accountable, and designed with children’s wellbeing at its core, alongside a renewed commitment to the real-world opportunities every child needs to thrive.
Children do not want to be excluded from the online world. They want to be safe within it. Our focus should be on making that a reality.