House of Lords push for Australian-style social media ban | The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleGeorge ThompsonThursday 26 March 2026 08:17 GMTHow do young people feel about the U16 social media ban?The House of Lords has, for the second time, supported a social media ban for under-16s, voting 266 to 141 in favour of an amendment proposed by Tory former minister Lord Nash.This decision follows an earlier rejection by MPs of a similar ban, with the Commons instead opting to grant the government broader and more flexible powers to address online harms.Lord Nash criticised "Californian techies" for their "cavalier approach" to content damaging to children, accusing them of prioritising commercial interests over child safety.The vote comes after a Los Angeles jury found Google and Meta designed deliberately addictive products that harmed a 20-year-old's mental health.Despite the Lords' support, the government is currently conducting a six-week pilot scheme involving 300 young people and a consultation to determine the best approach to lessen online harms.In fullHouse of Lords back UK social media ban for under-16s for second timeThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in