Screen use, artificial intelligence and social media: Impact on children and young people

Approximate read time: 35 minutes

The House of Lords is scheduled to debate the following motion on 22 October 2026:

Lord Patel (Crossbench) to move that this House takes note of the effect of artificial intelligence, screen usage and social media on children.

1. Key points

• Children and young people are increasingly using screens and online services such as AI (particularly generative AI) and social media. The sector regulator Ofcom has found that the two most popular activities for children are playing video games and watching TV and films.
• Screen use among some children, particularly high screen use, has been linked to issues including developmental and behavioural issues, poor sleep, sedentary behaviour and exposure to online harms (such as cyberbullying and grooming). Children aged under five are particularly vulnerable to developmental issues from screen use. However, screen use can bring some benefits, particularly when the use is ‘active’ (when adults or others are involved in the activity). Evidence shows that some screen use can be beneficial for learning and development.
• In a 2025 report, Ofcom found that over two-thirds of children aged three to 17 were reportedly using social media apps. Many children used social media despite being under the age limit for the platform (often set at 13). Although social media was found to bring some benefits, such as helping form networks with other young people with common interests or experiences, it was often found to have certain ‘addictive’ design elements. Social media use by young people has been linked to issues including mental health challenges, poor sleep and exposure to harassment and abuse.
• Evidence of young people’s use of AI is an emerging area. Ofcom reported that young people may use AI for education support, creative outputs and companionship. Evidence of its impact on young people was mixed, with possible benefits and drawbacks to its effect on education, development and health and wellbeing. However, young people have raised concerns about its potential impact on their lives and future careers. In addition, there are concerns about people illegally using AI to create deepfakes or sexualised images of children.
• The Online Safety Act 2023 requires certain online platforms, including social media platforms and sites hosting pornographic content, to take measures to prevent children from accessing harmful and age-inappropriate content. The government has also announced that it will legislate to ban under-16s from using social media. It has also said it will introduce other laws and restrictions intended to make children’s use of online spaces, AI and social media safer; for example, by restricting some of the ‘addictive’ design elements of social media and requiring in-app or device-level protections. Many, including parents, are supportive of the ban and other proposed changes. However, there are some concerns children will try to bypass the ban and may therefore end up using less regulated spaces.

2. How much do children and young people use this technology?

2.1 Overview of screen use

Research has found increasing screen and technology use by children and young people.^[1] According to statistics published by Ofcom in May 2026, on average:^[2]

• children aged eight to nine spent just under three hours online each day
• children aged 10 to 12 spent around three and a half hours online each day
• children aged 13 to 14 spent around four hours and 20 minutes online each day

In terms of device usage, Ofcom has separately found that:

Just under eight in 10 (78%) children aged 8–17 have their own mobile phone, six in 10 (59%) use a tablet to go online, and 55% use a games console. Ownership of a mobile phone rises sharply from 56% of 10-year-olds to more than eight in 10 (83%) of 11-year-olds. Nearly all (98%) 16–17s own a mobile phone.^[3]

Activities involving screen use were found to be the most popular among young people, with playing video games and watching TV the most mentioned. However, sport and spending time with friends and family also ranked in the top six:

Figure 1. Ofcom findings on children and young people’s self-reported favourite activities (ordered by % that listed that activity)

Commenting further on children’s use of screens and the internet, Ofcom found:

The internet is central to most children’s lives, with parents saying that 88% of children aged 3–7, and almost all (99%) children aged 8–17 go online. Over half (55%) of children aged 3–17 play games online.

[…]

91% of children aged 4–15 watched some type of audio-visual content on a weekly basis in 2025. Over six in 10 (63%) 4–15s watched some broadcast TV on a weekly basis in 2025, down from 66% in 2024. Time spent viewing of YouTube and other video-sharing platforms (VSPs) increased by 3% between 2024 and 2025, and VSPs account for the largest share of children’s in-home video viewing […]^[4]

Ofcom also looked into the use of screens among children aged under two for the first time in 2026. Its survey found that 65% of parents of children aged six months to two years said their child went online (mostly through smart TVs or tablets) and 85% said their child sometimes “looks at a screen”.^[5] Reasons given by parents for this screen use included:

• to provide entertainment: 67%
• to support learning: 63%
• because their child enjoys it: 52%
• to occupy their child while they carry out other tasks: 49%

The following graphic shows the screen time activities of those aged under two years:

Figure 2. Ofcom findings on how children under two years use screens

2.2 Social media use

Ofcom’s reports on children’s media usage have found increasing use of social media by children and young people, including in younger age groups. In its 2026 report, it found that:^[6]

• among eight to 14-year-olds, 54% had used TikTok, 43% had used Snapchat, 34% had used Instagram and 33% had used Facebook in the past four weeks
• for 15 to 17-year-olds, 69% had used TikTok, 63% had used Snapchat, 62% had used Instagram and 54% had used Facebook in the previous four weeks

However, Ofcom also found the majority of eight to 17-year-olds who used social media stated they were ‘passive’ users (65%); for example, they mainly read, watched, followed or ‘liked’ social media content. Around a third (34%) said they were ‘active’ users, where they would share, comment on or post content.

In its 2025 report, Ofcom found that over two-thirds (68%) of children aged three to 17 were reportedly using social media apps, including 55% of three to 5-year-olds.^[7] Commenting further on the prevalence of social media use, Ofcom said:

More than a third (36%) of parents of 3–5s whose child uses at least one social media app or site state that they use social media on their child’s behalf, and over four in 10 (42%) say they use these sites or apps together with their child. However, a further two in 10 (19%) parents of 3–5s who use social media say that their child uses these apps independently.

[…]

Eight in 10 of all children (79%) aged 3–17 have their own profile on at least one VSP

, messaging or livestreaming app, or social media site. While seven in 10 3–12-year-olds have at least one such profile, this is almost universal among teens; 97% of 13–17s report that they have at least one profile on these types of sites or app. When focusing on social media apps/sites alone, four in 10 (40%) under-13s have a profile on this type of service.

The younger group (3-12s) are most likely to have a profile on YouTube/YouTube Kids (44%), WhatsApp (23%) and/or TikTok (23%), while 13–17s are most likely to have profiles on WhatsApp (62%), Snapchat (62%) or TikTok (61%).

[…]

Four in 10 (37%) parents of 3–17s said they would allow their child to have a profile on social media sites or apps before they had reached the minimum age requirement. Agreement with this statement was highest among parents of 10–12-year-olds, at 50%.^[8]

Most social media companies set a minimum age requirement of 13 for using their service. In addition, the Online Safety Act 2023 requires social media companies to enforce any age limits consistently and protect child users.^[9]

2.3 Use of artificial intelligence

In its 2026 report on children’s media use, Ofcom reported increasing use of AI (particularly generative AI such as ChatGPT and CoPilot) by young people. It found that 35% of eight to nine-year-olds said they have used AI and reported use by 12 to 17-year-olds was between 63% and 68%.^[10] In addition, the report found:

• around half of eight to 17-year-olds said they use AI for schoolwork or homework (an increase on previous years)
• it was often used for fun or to help with doing creative activities online
• one in 10 AI users aged eight to 17 said they have used AI as someone to talk to or ‘as a friend’
• there was a gap between children’s confidence and their ability to recognise whether images are real or AI-generated
• four in 10 teenagers who are aware of AI said they would trust an AI‑generated article either more than, or to the same extent as, a human‑written article
• nearly half (46%) of eight to 17-year-olds who have read AI summaries in internet search results believe the information is always accurate

3. How is the technology used and what is the impact?

3.1 Screen use

As set out above, activities involving screen use are increasingly common in children’s lives. As noted in Ofcom’s 2026 report on children’s online experiences, this can involve a range of devices and activities:

Almost all 8–17-year-olds are online (99%) and most (78%) have their own mobile phone—with ownership rising steeply between age 10 and 11 (56% to 83%). The mobile phone was the most common device children use to go online (77% among those who go online)—six in 10 (59%) used a tablet, and 55% used a games console. Watching video content (89%) and gaming online (72%) were among the most popular online activities for children (aged 8–17). Much of the video content consumed is likely to be via social media or video sharing platforms with 95% of children saying they used at least one of these services in the last four weeks.^[11]

The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) has also highlighted evidence of inequalities affecting screen use.^[12] Findings reported include:

• children from lower education households have higher levels of screentime
• children from lower education households or more deprived households may be more at risk of “manipulative design features” (including pressures to purchase content)

There are a range of reported benefits and negative impacts associated with children’s screen use. Evidence on the negatives of screen use noted by POST includes:

• Impact on children’s development: Screen use can “reduce opportunities for face-to-face interaction, conversation, and other language-rich social experiences”.^[13] This may then impact the child’s social interaction, language development and relationship building. In addition, higher screen use has been linked to issues with emotional regulation and relations with parents (including behavioural issues). There is mixed evidence on how it may impact education, but there is some evidence that high screen use may impact cognitive functions such as memory, processing speed, attention levels and executive function.^[14]
• Health and wellbeing: There are links between high screen use and obesity and sedentary behaviour.^[15] In addition, higher levels of screen use is associated with lower sleep duration and quality of sleep, particularly among adolescents.^[16] Lower levels of quality sleep can impact developmental outcomes and wellbeing. Clinicians have also raised concerns about the impact of growing screen use in schools, warning the government about links to increasing levels of short-sightedness and other issues.^[17]
• Financial issues: POST reports that UK qualitative data has shown that “8-to-17-year-olds are actively spending money online, with persuasive design features influencing spending and contributing to financial harm”.^[18] This can include issues connected with ‘loot boxes’ in online games^[19] (which has also been linked to an increased propensity to develop problem gambling behaviours), high exposure to embedded digital advertising, and early exposure to financial content (such as content promoting cryptocurrencies) which may lead to potential scams or financial loss.
• Online harms: Children may encounter a range of harms through digital platforms, including cyberbullying, grooming, scams, hate speech and extreme material or inappropriate material. For example, UNICEF has reported that online gaming environments can be exploited for grooming, recruitment and manipulation.^[20] POST has highlighted evidence of exposure to identity-based harms, including racism and religious discrimination.^[21] In its 2026 report on children’s online experiences, Ofcom found that 73% of 11 to 17-year-olds recalled being exposed to at least one piece of harmful content on an app, website or online game in a four-week period.^[22] The most common was bullying and hateful content. In addition, in 2024 the House of Commons Education Committee cited evidence that 79% of children had encountered violent pornography before the age of 18 and there had been an increasing incidence of online sexual abuse of children.^[23] There are also concerns that protections and regulations in this area are struggling to keep up with technological change.^[24]
• Addictive and compulsive behaviours: In its 2024 report, the Commons Education Committee noted evidence that nearly 25% of young people used their smartphones in a way that is consistent with a behavioural addiction.^[25] Research has also found links with compulsive behaviours, interferences with daily functioning, and gaming, gambling and sexual behaviour disorders.^[26] For example, a study published in 2024 determined that “excessive screen exposure leads to a more sedentary lifestyle, increased screen addiction, and distraction in typically developing children aged 6–10 years”.^[27]

There is particular concern about screen use for under-fives, with the government highlighting how this can impact crucial development:

Ninety per cent of children’s development happens before the age of five. Large amounts of unmanaged screen use can crowd out the activities that matter most at this stage—things like sleep, physical play, creative activities and time spent talking with parents and carers.

Research by early years charity Kindred Squared found that 28% of children starting reception are unable to use a book properly, with some trying to swipe or tap physical pages like a tablet screen. Giving children time away from screens in their early years helps build the social, emotional and language skills they need to start school.^[28]

The government recommends two to five-year-olds use a screen no more than one hour a day and for this not to be at mealtimes or just before bed. It recommends under-twos do not use a screen at all, unless as part of “shared activities that encourage bonding, interaction and conversation”; for example, video calls.

Many commentators highlight the importance of screen use being an ‘active’ activity involving parents, particularly for younger children. For example, this could include discussing what is happening on the screen when watching programmes and using educational apps together.^[29] POST states:

Evidence suggests that associations can become more favourable when children engage with educational content or use screens alongside actively engaged parents or caregivers. These studies suggest that content and context may be more important determinants of socio-emotional outcomes than screentime alone, with co-use providing opportunities for interaction, discussion and relationship building.^[30]

This leads on to several reported benefits of screen use. For example, POST highlighted ways screen use can help with learning and development:

Interactive and educational media can support early learning, including vocabulary, executive functioning and problem-solving. Educational media has been linked to improvements in task orientation, behavioural control and social-emotional learning. Digital play may also promote creativity, pretend play and problem-solving.^[31]

POST also reported evidence that gaming can positively influence a range of skills, including memory, cognitive processing, literacy and communication skills.^[32]

The House of Commons Education Committee also reported some benefits of screen use in its 2024 report on the subject, including:^[33]

• opportunities to engage in communities sharing similar experiences, particularly for LGBTQ+ children
• some children found screen use supported their ability to generate friendships, for example, through social media or online gaming, and reduced loneliness
• evidence of benefits to education, including through homework support and educational platforms

Overall, the committee stated:

The overwhelming weight of evidence submitted to us suggests that the harms of screen time and social media use significantly outweigh the benefits for young children, whereas limited use of screens and genuinely educational uses of digital technology can have benefits for older children. For this reason, screen time should be minimal for younger children and better balanced with face-to-face socialisation and physical activity for older ones.^[34]

It called for more to be done to regulate the harms children may face through screen use and going online.

3.2 Social media use

A similar range of issues have been raised about children’s social media use (which forms a part of general screen use). For example, the government has highlighted evidence of the negative impact on sleep and wellbeing. However, it has also flagged that certain “addictive” or persuasive elements of social media design may intensify these problems, such as:

• ‘Infinite scroll’: continuously loads new content as users scroll down a page, creating an endless stream of content with no distinct end.
• ‘Autoplay’: means videos start or continue playing automatically without breaks or input from the user.
• ‘Personalised recommender feeds’: use personal information about the user, such as their age, gender, interests and past activity, and other signals, to predict the content they will be interested in.
• ‘Push notifications’: are a type of notification that alerts users, usually with a pop-up message, even when they are not using the service.
• ‘Affirmations features’: allow users to express approval or react to other users’ content, for example likes and comments.^[35]

A small study undertaken by the 5Rights Foundation, a campaign group focused on children’s online safety (of which Baroness Kidron (Crossbench) is the founder and honorary president), provides an example of this issue.^[36] It analysed the TikTok (a social media site hosting short-form videos) usage of 21 children aged 14 to 16, and found:

• children viewed an average of 708 videos per day and around half of videos were watched for five seconds or less
• three in four children (76%) used TikTok between midnight and 6am
• advertisements and commercially motivated content appeared regularly
• there was evidence of sexualised content appearing regularly in some children’s feeds
• the participants described the platform as addictive, and said it created feelings of guilt, disappointment and tiredness
• they said it caused them to reduce time spent with friends or on hobbies

In its paper on young people’s social media use, POST stated there was “ongoing debate around how early social media usage affects wellbeing, development, behaviour, learning, identity, and safety”.^[37] However, it continued:

Some researchers have highlighted that adolescence is a key developmental period, making this group particularly sensitive to many of social media’s possible impacts. Some experts suggest that regular peer comparison, identity development and expectations to adhere to social norms, alongside potentially limited abilities to critically evaluate content, regulate emotions and manage algorithmic exposure, can make adolescents especially sensitive to the potential impacts of social media.^[38]

POST then listed a range of further impacts and potential benefits drawn from evidence.^[39] However, it did stress there were some gaps in research and that some experts believe the evidence to be over-estimated, miscommunicated or selectively reported.

Examples of some of the reported negative impacts not referenced above include:^[40]

• Mental health challenges: Links have been found between high social media use by young people and anxiety or depression, eating disorders and low self-esteem. Concerns have also been identified about links to self-harm or the impact of self-harm related content on users’ mental health. However, there is also evidence of social media use providing emotional support and promotion of self-harm reduction.^[41]
• Physical health: In addition to links between social media use and poor sleep, POST highlighted links between social media use and other health risk behaviours, such as alcohol consumption, substance use and e-cigarettes. Research found that some social media content may normalise, glamorise or advertise or promote these behaviours (for example, through social media influencers). In addition, it cited Ofcom findings published in 2026 that 30% of 1,625 11 to 17-year-olds said they’d seen content encouraging dangerous challenges and 26% had seen content linked to harmful substance use.
• Harassment, grooming and abuse: Young social media users may be exposed to harmful content or behaviours through site algorithms, private spaces and messaging, and deepfake or artificially generated images.^[42] This is despite tools and reporting procedures on social media sites to remove or restrict this content. Social media features may expose children to harm by adults or other young people online, including sexualisation and child sexual abuse, harassment, hate and grooming. Those experiencing online harassment and abuse may then be more likely to later experience poor mental health and self-harm.
• Education, development and knowledge: There is some evidence that increased social media use may negatively impact academic achievement; however, overall, evidence was said to be mixed in this area. Links have also been made between high social media use and reduced attention and cognitive functioning. In addition, concerns were highlighted in POST’s paper about the spread of misinformation and disinformation by social media. Further, experts highlighted the risks of such online content desensitising young social media users to harmful behaviours or viewpoints, such as xenophobic or misogynistic content.

Evidence on the benefits of young people’s social media use highlighted by POST included:^[43]

• Education and creative thinking: Links were made between moderate social media use and creative thinking. In addition, experts cited ways it could boost learning and creativity through sharing information on current affairs, financial management and healthy relationships, and facilitating discussion or awareness of knowledge and ideas.
• Social and community interactions: Although there were some links between social media and negative behaviours (such as violence or misogyny), there was also evidence of how social media can provide support to those with certain conditions (such as autism, neurodivergence or physical disabilities) to form friendships and social connections. It was also reported social media can provide spaces for young people to explore their identities and connect with others, particularly for marginalised or isolated groups (such as LGBTQ+ or racially minoritised young people). However, POST did also cite evidence that social media may amplify inequalities and that disadvantaged or vulnerable groups may be more at risk of abuse, discrimination or hostility. There was mixed evidence on whether social media reduced in-person connection and activities, but some research did find it benefitted political literacy and activism.
• Positive material on physical and mental health: In addition to the negative impacts of social media on mental health referenced above, there was research suggesting social media can help with mental health. This included seeking out psychological or emotional support, mood or stress regulation and content that reduced mental health-related stigma. There was also evidence of social media encouraging good physical health, including content encouraging exercise and healthy eating or providing information on sexual and reproductive health. However, experts stated that some of the exercise promotion and diet information content may increase pressures relating to self-image, over-exercise and disordered eating.

3.3 Use of artificial intelligence

Research on the impact of AI on children and young people is an emerging area. As noted above, children’s use of AI can include support with education or homework, companionship, information seeking, content creation and communication.^[44]

In terms of assistance with learning and development, a 2025 survey carried out by the National Literacy Trust included the following findings:^[45]

• the most popular uses were to ask questions (61.2%), get help with homework (60.9%) and for entertainment (52.8%)
• many also used it to support writing, including improving vocabulary, for feedback on writing or to turn ideas into a story
• fewer young people reported using generative AI to support reading, although this did increase with age
• One in two young users said that when they used AI they usually added their own thoughts into the outputs and two in five said they checked outputs as they could be wrong; however, one in four admitted to simply copying AI outputs for homework
• two in three agreed with the statement: “even when we have AI, it is important to learn how to write”
• one in two felt AI helped them to learn or understand things when parents and teachers were not around

POST reported mixed evidence on the benefits for young people’s development, education and cognition (again, POST emphasised this was an emerging area).^[46] It cited evidence AI could support idea generation, learning and problem-solving, but said there were question marks over AI’s impact on longer term or deeper learning and independent thinking. It also stressed the importance of AI literacy and being able to assess AI outputs. Overall, POST stated:

Evidence on the cognitive impacts of GenAI is emerging and, in many cases, is based on relatively small-scale studies conducted in educational settings. Although some evidence suggests that GenAI tools may support learning, idea generation, problem-solving and educational attainment, findings highly depend on how these tools are used and the extent of adult guidance, support and AI literacy.^[47]

Similarly, POST noted there was a lack of evidence on AI’s impact on young people’s physical health and emerging information on the technology’s mental health impact.^[48] It cited evidence that AI-based mental health apps could be potentially useful for young people, but said there remained issues with quality, reliability and clinical validation. It highlighted a 2025 survey which found that one in four teenagers had used GenAI chatbots for mental health support. It also stated that “several meta-analyses conducted from 2023 to 2025 found statistically significant reductions of immediate short-term mental health symptoms, such as anxiety, when people affected by mental health challenges used AI-based chatbots”.^[49]

On social and emotional development POST again cited mixed evidence. On the one hand it said AI use could result in “social deskilling” (reducing interactions with real people), and on the other it said the technology could offer companionship and support to those who need it. However, POST did flag both good and bad examples of the impact of using AI for companionship:

Internet Matters found that 23% of ‘vulnerable children’ reported using AI chatbots because they did not have anyone else to talk to, suggesting that these tools may be filling emotional or social gaps that are not being met offline.

Concerns about AI companions have intensified following high-profile legal cases in the US alleging that conversational AI systems formed emotionally significant relationships with ‘vulnerable’ young users and responded inappropriately to discussions of self-harm and suicide.

Data from Snapchat’s My AI suggests that young people use AI chatbots to support creativity, social connection and relationship-building activities with friends and family.

A 2025 study suggests that AI companions can provide users with a sense of companionship, emotional support and a non-judgemental space for self-disclosure, although these benefits may not fully substitute for human relationships. Researchers suggest that advanced AI assistants may foster ongoing, relationship-like interactions with users, creating opportunities for support and engagement alongside potential risks related to emotional dependence.^[50]

There are also ongoing concerns about abuse and harassment of children involving AI. For example, the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) said there were more reports of illegal photorealistic AI-generated child sexual abuse images in the first half of 2026 than in the whole of 2025.^[51] Young people have also reported a similar rise in AI-generated nude and sexual imagery of themselves.^[52]

In addition, in 2024 Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza linked AI to concerns about young people’s futures, including how it would reshape their lives and careers.^[53] The commissioner said she’d heard pessimism from young people about AI’s impact on future job availability and on people from poorer backgrounds. She believed “we are yet to understand the true impact of these tools on children’s lives”.

4. What do children and young people think about the technology?

In July 2026 the government published findings from a range of research undertaken to gather the views of children and young people (as well as parents and teachers) on social media, AI and online safety.^[54] The research included surveys, consultations and in-person events. Findings included:

Social media

Young people often saw social media as “free social infrastructure”. When asked, they said they liked the following aspects of social media:

• staying connected with friends—messaging, group chats, knowing what people are up to
• finding news and information about the world
• being part of communities around shared interests, like music, gaming or fandoms—especially for young people who couldn’t find those communities nearby
• studying—following study accounts, watching revision livestreams, using AI tools for learning
• entertainment and creativity^[55]

However, there was also cynicism about social media. The report stated:

Many young people described feeling like they didn’t really choose to be on social media, they were just born into it. The environment grew up around them.^[56]

Many young people also said they used social media more than they wanted to. This linked to some of the specific concerns young people raised about social media, which included:^[57]

• Algorithms and endless scrolling: They often felt little control over what they saw and the apps felt designed to keep them watching.
• Comment sections: These were described as chaotic and poorly moderated, with some saying the content was “shocking”.
• Numbers of likes and follower counts: They said the popularity of posts and profiles often led to competition between young people, rather than genuine connections.
• Influencers and unrealistic images: Although some described influencers as positive role models, others said they created unrealistic expectations and pressure.
• Group chats, disappearing messages and read receipts: The government said these features caused particular concern among the younger age groups. Group chats were described as a common setting for bullying, and disappearing messages made this issue worse (as the evidence was deleted).
• Contact from strangers: Considerable concerns were raised about being contacted by unknown adults. At one of the in-person events, every young person reported that they had encountered this.

However, although teachers and parents supported the proposed ban on under-16s using social media (covered in section 5 of this briefing), only 29% of young people supported it. Instead, 48% of young people suggested under-16s should be allowed on some platforms but not others.

There were two main reasons given for opposing the proposed ban. First, child respondents argued it would not work. They said it would be easy to get around by lying about your age, bypassing checks or getting others to log in on your behalf. Second, they said a ban would be “unfair”. They said “it would remove a digital space they didn’t choose to grow up in, but which had become a central part of their social lives”. They also highlighted those who did not have alternative ways to stay connected.

Young people instead strongly supported targeted changes to improve their use of social media. For example, 76% of young people agreed that restricting certain features would make social media safer for children. This concept was also strongly backed by teachers and parents.

Ideas raised to improve young people’s experience of social media, instead of banning it, included:

• Safer features: For example, respondents suggested removing or fixing autoplay and infinite scrolling of videos, poorly moderated comments sections and age-inappropriate advertising.
• Introducing age-segmented versions of existing platforms to protect younger users: Ideas included no access to direct messaging for younger users, no video sending, stricter content rules, and ways to protect young people when they first join platforms.
• Time limits or overnight restrictions built into the platforms: 84% of young people surveyed supported at least one of these ideas, and it was also popular with parents and teachers.
• Voluntary action by companies was not enough: Instead, young people said that the technology companies should be responsible for content moderation, algorithm design and age verification, and the government should set rules that must be met.

Artificial intelligence

The government said that AI was brought up regularly by young people in the study.^[58] Positives raised about AI included that it was practical and educational, allowed quick answers, help with learning and creative support. Concerns raised included misinformation and deepfakes, AI chatbots acting like romantic partners or friends, over-reliance on AI for schoolwork (therefore undermining independent thinking), its use for extremist content or radicalisation, and the environmental impact.

The young people involved in the study called for mandatory labelling of AI-generated content and age restrictions for using specific AI features. For example, around 83–85% of both parents and young people aged 16 to 21 supported minimum age requirements for AI chatbots.

5. What is being done to support and protect young people using this technology?

There are laws already in place offering some protections for young people in terms of online content. For example, there are a number of laws which make indecent AI images of children illegal (including creating or distributing such images) and the Online Safety Act 2023 requires certain online platforms, including social media platforms and sites hosting pornographic content, to take measures to prevent children from accessing harmful and age-inappropriate content.^[59]

In June 2026 Sir Keir Starmer’s government announced that it would legislate to ban under-16s from social media platforms.^[60] The government then announced further linked proposals in July 2026 following a consultation on children’s online experiences. It said it would:

• Introduce default protections for 16 and 17-year-olds on social media: This includes overnight access restrictions between midnight and 6am, muted push notifications overnight, and autoplay and personalised feeds switched off by default, avoiding a cliff-edge in protections at age 16.
• Put in place further protections for children: We will introduce additional safeguards for children, including action on AI chatbots and measures to reduce circumvention of online safety protections.
• Support children to navigate the online world: We will help children develop healthier online habits, strengthen digital resilience and media literacy, and make it easier for children to access positive and enriching online content.
• Support families and caregivers: We will give parents and carers clearer support, expanding practical guidance and resources and strengthening mobile phone policies in schools to create distraction-free learning environments.^[61]

Further detail on these proposals can be found in the government’s consultation outcome paper: ‘Growing up in the online world: Government response’ (July 2026). For example, the document explains that the government’s plans for restricting access to AI chatbots would include mandatory break periods to support healthier habits. It linked this to concerns that human-seeming chatbots may impact young people’s social and emotional development.

As mentioned above, the government has issued guidance on screen use for the under-5s.^[62] In June 2026 it announced it would also be issuing guidance for parents on screen use of children aged five to 16.^[63] The guidance will be informed by a call for evidence and an independent expert group co‑chaired by Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza and Professor Russell Viner (a paediatrician and a former chief scientific adviser to the government).

In addition, Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Lisa Nandy gave a statement in the House of Commons on 8 September 2026 outlining further government commitments in relation to child safety online.^[64] This included:

• Introducing primary legislation requiring major tech platforms to build in device-level protections for children. She said this would be introduced “as soon as we can”.
• Requiring apps used by children to prevent them accessing or sharing nudity. She said the government would be exploring what legislation is needed to implement that commitment, with the intention of actioning it “as quickly as possible”.

She called for technology companies to start working on these changes and said the government would be monitoring developments, which in turn could help shape the legislation. She said the sector had shown it could “innovate at an extraordinary pace when the chips are down”.^[65] She also said the government had been working with Google and Apple and that both companies have now developed “meaningful changes at operating level to make it harder for children to share nude imagery”.^[66]

The government has said that it plans to lay regulations for the social media ban by the end of 2026 and for the ban to come into force in the spring of 2027.^[67]

The government’s announcements were backed by opposition parties. However, they urged the government to act more swiftly on getting the measures in place.^[68]

The House of Commons Education Committee also welcomed the government’s plans.^[69] It had previously published recommendations for the introduction of a social media ban for under-16s, restrictions on addictive design features (such as infinite scrolling) and new guidance for screen use.

Subsequently, at a 27 September 2026 panel event hosted by the Molly Rose Foundation (a charity focused on children’s online safety), Lisa Nandy gave further details on the government’s planned regulatory approach, saying it would focus on the safety of online features and design (sometimes referred to as ‘safety-by-design’ and ‘safety-by-feature’). She explained:

We’re going to do proper, comprehensive legislation so that it doesn’t just incorporate the specific apps, it incorporates the features that we believe are not safe […] So there will be a way for companies, if they want to innovate and they want to change, to be able to get themselves essentially off that list. But that’s up to them. We believe that’s their choice. They can decide to innovate if they want to, and we believe they should because we think they have their social and moral obligations. But whether they do it or not, the government has an obligation here and we intend to act.^[70]

This was welcomed by the 5Rights Foundation, which described it as a “meaningful step towards holding companies responsible for children’s online safety”.^[71] Its head of UK affairs, Colette Collins-Walsh, said:

The government has recognised that children’s safety online cannot depend on whether an individual platform happens to be on a list. Harmful features are built into products and services across the digital ecosystem, from social media and gaming, to EdTech and AI. This is an opportunity to put meaningful responsibility on the companies creating those risks, and to ensure that safety is built into digital products and services from the outset, moving us closer to a good childhood in the digital age.^[72]

However, some concerns have been raised about the planned social media ban for under-16s. For example, the social media companies themselves have reportedly criticised the planned ban and argued it may lead to children using more unregulated services. The Guardian reported the following statements:

A spokesperson for Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, said: “As we’ve seen in Australia [Australia introduced a social media ban in 2025^[73], bans risk isolating teens from online communities and information, and driving them to unregulated alternatives that lack built-in protections and parental controls”.

YouTube said in a statement: “Blanket bans push kids out of such curated, supervised, beneficial experiences and towards anonymous, less-safe services.”

And Snapchat said: “Because the majority of time spent on Snapchat is in private messaging between friends and family, an outright ban that disconnects teens from those relationships doesn’t make them safer—it may simply push them to less safe platforms”.^[74]

In an article on the issue of social media bans, where it again argues it can lead to children and young people bypassing bans or using less regulated services, Meta instead recommends age verification and parental approval is enforced on device app stores when children and young people try to download the relevant app.^[75]

In addition, the Children’s Society said a ban would remove the benefits of social media some young people experience, such as community and exploring interests.^[76] It also raised concerns about young people trying to get around the ban or seeking out alternative unregulated services. Linked to this issue, it said a ban could make it harder for children and young people to “reach out for support for anything inappropriate experienced or seen online out of fear that the response would be ‘you shouldn’t be on it’”.

The Children’s Society instead made several alternative recommendations, including:

• Enhance platforms to empower young people to self-regulate screen-time. Young people want to be in control; they want to explore and set their own boundaries as they go through adolescence. Digital devices auto-installing effective self-regulation time limit functions can enable young people to set their own boundaries. This can bring about positive time-use changes defined by young people, and result in actual behavioural change that is driven by those impacted.
• Strengthen digital literacy and education. Banning social media for under-16s wouldn’t be like repeating the smoking ban. For one, there are benefits to social media despite its risks. And young people are in their formative years: access to the digital world and social media is so ingrained in adult life, so how can young people enter this world without knowing how to navigate it?
• Invest in young people’s infrastructure. Young people are being shut out from spaces which support their sense of belonging, jeopardising the support they need throughout teenhood. The vast decline in services and spaces for young people in the community over the last decade is leaving young people with nowhere to go. There needs [to be] urgent investment in community-based provision for young people. This should be funded by a combination of government funding and by financial penalties on tech platforms for failing to comply with regulation. As digital childhood has grown, opportunities for play-based childhood have diminished. Protecting children means not only addressing online harms, but actively investing in the spaces, activities and relationships that help young people flourish offline.^[77]

6. Read more

• Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, ‘The impacts of screen and AI use on children and young people’, 20 August 2026; and ‘Impacts of social media on children and young people’, 20 August 2026
• House of Commons Library, ‘Proposals to ban social media for children’, 9 October 2026
• Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, ‘Growing up in the online world: A national consultation’, updated 19 August 2026
• House of Commons Education Committee, ‘Growing up in the online world: The Education Committee’s response to the government’s consultation’, 21 May 2026, HC 187 of session 2026–27; and ‘Government response’, 10 September 2026, HC 644 of session 2026–27
• NSPCC, ‘Online safety’, accessed 13 October 2026
• Molly Rose Foundation, ‘Australia’s social media ban: Is it working?’, April 2026

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Image by Thomas Park on Unsplash.