Welsh MPs back call to ban under-16s from social media

A growing movement to protect children from social media has gained Welsh backing, with five Labour MPs adding their signatures to a powerful letter sent to the Prime Minister.

Tonia Antoniazzi (Gower), Ruth Jones (Newport West), Henry Tufnell (Mid and south Pembrokeshire), Andrew Ranger (Wrexham), and Steve Witherden (Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr) have joined 55 other MPs in demanding urgent government action to raise the minimum age for social media access to 16.

The letter paints a stark picture of childhood in the digital age. “Across our constituencies, we hear the same message: children are anxious, unhappy, and unable to focus on learning. They are not building the social skills needed to thrive, nor having the experiences that will prepare them for adulthood,” the MPs wrote.

Alarming statistics highlight the scale of the crisis. “At home, the average 12-year-old now spends 29 hours a week on a smartphone, much of it on social media platforms rife with harmful content, designed to be addictive.”

The mental health impact is devastating. “The consequences of this are clear. More than 500 children a day are being referred for anxiety alone in England. For teenage boys, going from zero to five hours of daily social media use is associated with a doubling of depression rates. For girls, rates triple.”

The MPs point to international action, particularly Australia’s recent law requiring platforms like Instagram and Facebook to block under-16s. Meta blocked approximately 550,000 accounts during the initial implementation, with Denmark, France, Norway, New Zealand, and Greece expected to follow Australia’s lead.

Crucially, the letter argues that tech companies – not parents – should bear responsibility for enforcing age limits. Public support appears strong, with 78% of Gen Z saying they would delay their own children’s social media use as long as possible.

The full letter concludes: “We urge the Government to show leadership on this issue by introducing a minimum age for social media access of 16 years old.”