Source · Select Committees · Education Committee
Recommendation 24
24
Rejected
Paragraph: 113
Children are exposed to online harms through smartphone and social media use
Recommendation
It is clear that children are exposed to online harms when using smart phones to access the internet and, in particular, social media platforms. We support calls for tighter controls on the sale of smart phones to children under 16 years old in order to protect them from harm.
Government Response Summary
The government rejects the call for tighter controls on smartphone sales to under-16s, citing a lack of robust causal evidence to support such measures and stating its focus remains on the Online Safety Act, while also commissioning further evidence-building and monitoring international developments.
Paragraph Reference:
113
Government Response
Rejected
HM Government
Rejected
The government remains focused on the successful and effective implementation of the Online Safety Act and its provisions so that children can benefit from its wide-reaching protections as quickly as possible. We will continue to do what is necessary to protect our children online. We live in a digital age and must strike the right balance so that children can access the benefits of being online and using smartphones while we continue to put their safety first. We acknowledge the importance of technology creators ensuring that their products are safe and not exploiting vulnerabilities. However, currently there is a lack of robust and causal evidence to support the banning of smartphones for under 16s. We are building the evidence on this matter, as there is a need for more detailed research on the impact of specific products on children. Under the Online Safety Act, Ofcom will have a duty to publish a report on the role of app stores in children accessing harmful content on the apps of regulated services. To help build greater evidence about the types of harm available on and via different kinds of app stores, the report will consider a broad range of app stores, which could include those available on various devices. The report will also assess the use and effectiveness of age assurance on app stores and consider if the greater use of age assurance or other measures could protect children further. We are also monitoring and learning from wider developments internationally, including the Australian government’s legislation restricting under-16s from using certain social media websites and apps. We will use the UK-Australia online safety and security memorandum of understanding to share evidence and learn from each other’s experiences.