Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of short-form video design on reduced classroom concentration.

There is limited robust, causal evidence on the impact of digital technologies on children and young people’s cognitive development, including their classroom concentration.

The department is committed to improving the evidence base on the impact of digital technologies and is funding further research in this space, such as a systematic review of causal studies of the impacts of screen time and social media on mental health and development.

The Online Safety Act has already strengthened protections for children online.

Following the government's ‘Growing up in the online world’ consultation, the government announced plans in June 2026 to ban social media companies from offering their services to under-16s.

The government is aiming for regulations on the social media ban to be laid before Parliament under the powers of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 by the end of this year, with the restrictions in effect from spring 2027.