Summary
We are consulting on further measures to prepare children for the
future in an age of rapid technological change. This includes
potential age restrictions on social media and other services
such as gaming sites and AI chatbots, restrictions on addictive
design features and risky functionalities, and better support for
parents and families.
This consultation closes at
11:59pm on 26 May 2026
Consultation description
Why we're consulting
Technology is part of most children's lives from an early
age. It can help children learn, build friendships and
develop creativity. But it also brings risks, and many parents,
teachers and young people have told us the current situation is
not working well enough.
Social media use among children and adolescents is almost
universal. The proportion of children with social
media profiles has increased significantly in the last 5 years.
We must ensure children can engage with the online world
safely, and that parents and carers feel confident
to support and empower their children online.
This consultation is the next step in the government's work to
ensure children's experiences online are safe and enriching. We
want to understand how technology impacts children's
wellbeing, and what more we can do to help families
strike the right balance.
Background
The Online Safety
Act 2023 established one of the strongest
systems in the world for protecting children from illegal and
harmful content online. This consultation builds on that
foundation to consider the broader impact of technology on
children's everyday lives.
Given the importance of the internet and digital services in
today's society, we need to consider whether additional measures
could build on our existing approach and ensure the UK remains
the safest place for children to be online.
What we're consulting on
The consultation will consider how children use digital
technology as well as measures including:
- setting a minimum age for children to access social media -
and what age would be right
- restricting risky functionalities and design
features that encourage excessive use, such as infinite scrolling
and autoplay
- whether the digital age of consent should be raised
- how age verification and age assurance technologies can
support effective implementation
- whether the guidance on the use of mobile phones
in schools should be put on a statutory footing
- better support for parents, including clearer guidance and
simpler parental controls
Who we want to hear from
We welcome responses from everyone, including children and
young people, whose voices are central to this process. A
dedicated version of this consultation has been published for
children, and a separate version for parents and carers. We
will also hear views through a series of national events over the
next 3 months.
Ways to respond
There are 3 surveys to choose from.
-
Full consultation for anyone (civil society,
industry and members of the public)
-
Survey for parents and carers of young people
aged 21 and under
-
Survey for children and young people (aged 10
to 21)
Start
1. Full consultation for anyone
Including: civil society, industry and members of the
public
Take the survey now
2. Survey for parents and carers of young people aged 21
and under
Take the survey now
3. Survey for children and young people (aged 10 to
21)
Take the survey now
What happens next
This consultation will close
on the 26 May 2026. The government has
committed to taking swift action on its findings. On 16 February
2026, the Prime Minister announced new legal powers to allow the
government to act swiftly after the
consultation response, without waiting for new primary
legislation. We will publish our response in summer 2026.
Documents
Growing up in the online world:
a national consultation (web-optimised PDF)
