Source · Select Committees · Education Committee
Recommendation 25
25
Deferred
Paragraph: 114
Consult on additional smartphone measures for children under 16, including bans and controls
Recommendation
The next Government should work alongside Ofcom to consult on additional measures regarding smartphones for children under 16 years old within the first year of the new Parliament. Measures to consider should include the total ban of smartphones (internet-enabled phones) for children under 16, parental controls installed as default on phones for under 16s, additional guidance for parents at point of sale and controls at App Store level to prevent children from accessing or utilising age inappropriate content as well as controls at system level to prevent children uploading nude images.
Government Response Summary
The government states there is currently a lack of evidence to support a smartphone ban for under 16s and is building evidence on the matter. It defers to Ofcom's upcoming report under the Online Safety Act, which will assess app stores and age assurance, rather than committing to its own consultation on all additional measures.
Paragraph Reference:
114
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
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.