The Commons vote came as a result of an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which is currently going through its final stages in Parliament.
Education minister Olivia Bailey urged MPs to dismiss the change and support more flexible restrictions, citing children’s charities who she said had warned “a blanket ban could drive children towards less regulated corners of the internet or leave teenagers unprepared when they do come online”.
A government consultation was launched at the start of March to gather views on a social media ban from young people and their parents and guardians.