The ever-popular UK prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer, is trying to turn teen scrolling into a legacy-saving law and leadership shield.
According to the Financial Times, Starmer will try to justify a new crackdown on teenagers’ social media use in a speech later today. He will argue reform is needed to keep children safe as smartphone use keeps climbing.
The prime minister wants a policy legacy as chatter grows that Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham could soon depose him. Burnham hopes to win a by-election this Thursday, return to Westminster and challenge for the Labour leadership.
Starmer had hoped to finalise a long-delayed defence investment plan earlier this week. That blew up after Defence Secretary John Healey resigned when he failed to secure the cash he wanted.
Starmer is expected to announce that the government will ban younger teenagers from some social media platforms and limit daily use. He will crack down on romantic chatbots and some gaming app features.
In a statement which leaked to the press today he said: “How we keep kids safe online is one of the biggest debates of our time. We will call time on a system that’s failing our kids and take bold action to give every child the best possible start in life.”
The minimum age for some sites is expected to rise from an average of 13 to 16, echoing Australia’s recent policy. Starmer wants to curb late-night scrolling by youngsters.
The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act, passed in April, gave the government powers to restrict harmful online features. Starmer has said every school in England will have to ban smartphones for pupils.
The government said its smartphone consultation drew 116,000 responses. More than 83 per cent of responding parents said social media risks “outweigh” any benefits. Ninety per cent of respondents backed a minimum age of 16 for access to social media platforms.
Later on Monday, Starmer will head to the G7 summit in the French Alps. It could be his last as prime minister if Labour MPs move quickly and install Burnham. Starmer said on Sunday night that his trip to the three-day summit in Évian, France, was meant to “deliver growth and security at home” in a nastier world.
“We are facing wars on two fronts, the rapid acceleration of technology and the deterioration of global order. That is why it is vital that we work closely with our G7 partners to navigate and outpace the threats we face to keep people at home safe.”
However, Starmer is expected to face an awkward chat with US president Donald Trump about UK
