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Social Media: Young People

Asked by Mrs Sharon HodgsonLabourDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled Answered 25 February 2026UIN 113479

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of social media age restrictions on young people accessing illegal platforms.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan

The government keeps this issue under close consideration . The Online Safety Act places robust duties on in-scope services to prevent children from encountering illegal content and activity.

We are shortly launching a consultation exploring children’s use of technology to understand how they can be better protected and how their wellbeing can be improved. The consultation will seek views across many issues, including a minimum age of access for social media.

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