The House of Lords voted 261 to 150 on 21 January 2026 to amend the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, requiring platforms to implement effective age assurance measures blocking under-16s within 12 months. This part of the process by UKG to make the decision whether new legislation will be brought into law later this year.
The report takes a deep look at the various aspects of the issue which many will already be aware of. This follows on from Austrilias decision to ban social media to under sixteen yoru olds and looks at the technical issues and challanged that such bans uncover.
An aspect that most arguements do not cover are the potemtial down sides of such legislation.
One section headed 'Digital Preparedness and the Voting Age Paradox' makes very interesting reading. The introductory paragraph reads;
"A blanket ban risks leaving young people unprepared for digital environments they will inevitably encounter. Bans will likely deprive teenagers of opportunities to develop digital literacy skills by navigating online environments gradually and with guidance. Shielding children entirely from social media can delay essential conversations about online risks while hampering their ability to build competencies early."
Such considerations are a vital part of the debate. the last thing we want is to have a large number of teenagers who lack the experience of the online world. They need to develop the skills of communicating online with other friends whilst they are likely to be more receptive to advice and guidanced of adult role models.
Read the full report here.
