Social Media Ban for Under-16s Debate
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Baroness Benjamin
Main Page: Baroness Benjamin (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Baroness Benjamin's debates with the Department for Business and Trade
Social Media Ban for Under-16s
Baroness Benjamin Excerpts(1 month, 2 weeks ago)
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Baroness Lloyd of Effra (Lab)
I thank my noble friend for the work of her committee, and for the scrutiny, ideas and suggestions that it has provided over the years. I stress again the importance of ensuring that these regulations are implemented. I will just say one other thing: one of the other benefits of the consultation is that there has been a national conversation and there is a very clear public expectation of how social media firms should operate. Therefore, in addition to the importance of Ofcom having the capabilities for its role, the Secretary of State has insisted that we look at making sure that Ofcom is properly funded. So the whole of society is moving to institute this new norm.
Baroness Benjamin (LD)
My Lords, it has been a long and winding road, but the Government have finally reached the door of common sense and agreed to a social media ban for under-16s—something that I, as well as parents, teachers and children themselves, have long been calling for. I too thank the bereaved parents for playing their part in bringing this change about.
However, social media platforms and opponents have wrongly argued that the Australian experience shows the policy is not feasible, and they are trying to blame age-assurance technology. Some suspect that they might be under instruction to sabotage age assurance to avoid the policy going beyond Australia. Does the Minister agree with the Australian eSafety Commissioner that many social media platforms are not enforcing the ban, and that these platforms should not try to claim that age-assurance technology is not working until they use it themselves? Enforcement matters. Furthermore, is the Minister aware that technology can now be embedded into mobile phones’ operating systems to prevent children viewing or uploading harmful material and getting around any ban? We should give children back their childhood and I am happy to work with the Government to do just that.