- MPs have rejected proposals to ban social media access for under-16s for the third time, with a vote of 260 to 161 against the amendment.
- The defeated amendment sought to raise the minimum age for accessing social media platforms deemed harmful to 16 within a year.
- Education minister Olivia Bailey stated that a comprehensive consultation is necessary before implementing any strategy to address harms linked to social media use.
- Despite the rejection of a direct ban, the Bill is set to grant ministers flexible new powers to regulate children’s online activity, including curfews, scrolling limits, and the ability to block specific platforms.
- The government also committed to a statutory ban for phones in schools earlier this week, though exceptions for children with specific needs were noted.
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