Prof Gina Neff, head of the Minderoo Centre for Technology and Democracy at the University of Cambridge, said the meeting was a way for the government to appear “on the front foot” with the situation.<\/p>\n
“This is also letting the government stay strong on online harms in a moment where there’s been changing geopolitical pressures on the government to be easy on US companies,” she added.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday evening, UK MPs rejected calls to ban social media for under-16s, which had been backed by peers in the House of Lords, for a second time.<\/p>\n
Ministers argued a ban was premature as the government was already considering introducing its own restrictions and MPs instead voted to give ministers powers to bring in their own rules. <\/p>\n
However, Conservative shadow education secretary Laura Trott said: “Labour MPs have once again failed parents and children by voting against a ban on social media for under-16s and against removing smartphones from schools.<\/p>\n
“Other countries are waking up to the harms, but under Keir Starmer the UK is falling behind.”<\/p>\n
Liberal Democrat education spokeswoman Munira Wilson said: “The time for half-measures is over – we need action now to restrict the most harmful platforms for under-16s.”<\/p>\n
Recent research, external<\/a> from internet safety charity the Molly Rose Foundation found more than 60% of underage Australians are still using social media despite a ban on under-16s introduced in December 2025.<\/p>\n