Great Britain British House of Lords votes to ban social media for children
After a vote in the House of Lords on a social media ban for children and young people under the age of 16, pressure on the government is growing in the UK.
22.01.2026, 09:12
SDA
This evening, the members of the House of Lords voted clearly in favor of a corresponding change to the law, which was recently supported by British actor Hugh Grant ("Notting Hill"). However, the decision will ultimately be made by the House of Commons, which is dominated by the ruling Labor Party.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government had taken a much more cautious stance - albeit no longer completely against a ban. Initially, the advantages and disadvantages of a ban as well as other possible restrictions will be examined during a three-month consultation phase.
Australia leads the way
In Australia, which is part of the British Commonwealth of Nations, a corresponding law was passed in December. According to the government, more than 4.7 million accounts belonging to children and young people have since been deactivated, deleted or restricted. A ban is being discussed in Germany, but enforcement at national level would be considerably more difficult due to the European single market.
The Lords in the UK voted on an amendment to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which aims to strengthen child protection in particular. The result of 261:150 votes means that the motion must be considered by the House of Commons. The motion stipulates that social media providers must carry out highly effective age checks within twelve months of the bill being passed.
