Britain’s upper chamber, the House of Lords, voted on Wednesday to support a ban on social media use for children under 16. The move increases pressure on the government to mirror a similar restriction already in force in Australia.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said earlier this week that he would not rule out any options to protect children online. However, his government wants to wait for the outcome of a public consultation due this summer before introducing new legislation.
Calls for action have grown across opposition parties and within Starmer’s own Labour Party. Supporters urge the UK to follow Australia, where under-16s have faced a social media ban since December 10.
The amendment, tabled by Conservative peer John Nash, passed by 261 votes to 150. A Labour peer and a Liberal Democrats peer co-sponsored the proposal.
BREAKING: Peers in the House of Lords have voted in favour of banning social media for under-16s in the UK.@JonCraig has the latest ⬇️
Read more 🔗 https://t.co/TbFCfWcC61
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— Sky News (@SkyNews) January 21, 2026“Tonight, peers put our children’s future first,” Nash said after the vote. He argued that the decision marked a step toward curbing the harm social media inflicts on young people.
What happens next
Before the vote, Downing Street said the government would not accept the amendment. The proposal now moves to the House of Commons, where Labour holds a majority. More than 60 Labour MPs have already urged Starmer to support a ban.
Public figures have also joined the debate. Actor Hugh Grant called on the government to back the proposal, saying parents alone cannot shield children from online harms.
Read: UK Considers Social Media Ban for Children, Tougher Online Safety Rules
Some child-protection groups, however, warn that an outright ban could create a false sense of security and fail to address deeper risks.
Public opinion appears to favour tougher rules. A YouGov survey in December found that 74 percent of Britons supported a ban on social media for under-16s. The existing Online Safety Act already requires stronger age checks for access to harmful content.
