MP backs calls for an under-16s social media ban
19/01/2026
A letter to the Prime Minister notes the increased rates of depression for teenagers using social media
Banbury’s MP is backing a call to ban the use of social media by under-16s. The move has just become law in Australia.
Sean Woodcock has joined 60 of his Labour colleagues in signing a letter to the Prime Minister pushing for the minimum age for access to social media platforms to be set at 16 years old.
The letter points to evidence that average 12-year-old now spends 29 hours a week on a smartphone, much of it on social media platforms “rife with harmful content, designed to be addictive”.
It adds that the consequences are clear, with more than 500 children a day are being referred for anxiety in England. For teenage boys, going from zero to five hours of daily social media use is associated with a doubling of depression rates. For girls the rates triple.
Following contact on the subject from a number of his constituents Mr Woodcock said: “I understand the concerns behind these calls and acknowledge the unique challenges young people face in the digital age.
“Therefore, I have written to the Prime Minister, alongside 60 of my Labour MP colleagues, calling for an Australia-style ban on under 16s social media access.
“Protecting our children must be a priority.”
Published: by the Banbury FM News Team
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