Summary 4

1 Consultation on social media use 6

2 Statistics on social media and the under-16s 8

2.1 Headline statistics from Ofcom 8

3 The UK’s digital age of consent 11

4 Children’s online safety 12

4.1 The Online Safety Act 2023 12

5 A social media ban for the under-16s? 17

5.1 Australia’s social media ban 17

5.2 Calls for a UK ban 17

5.3 Against a UK ban 18

5.4 Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill – Lords amendment 20

6 Further reading 23

6.1 Stakeholders and organisations 23

6.2 Press 24

6.3 Academic 26