Social media use among children and young people is almost universal. The proportion of children with social media profiles has increased significantly in the last 5 years. The government want to ensure that 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 their work to ensure children’s experiences online are safe and enriching. They want to understand how technology impacts children’s wellbeing, and what more we can do to help families strike the right balance.
This 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
There are separate surveys for:
The consultation closes at 11.59pm on 26th May 2026
We know this is a topic that many children, young people and families may feel passionate about, and as such we would welcome your support in promoting and encouraging local uptake of these surveys.
More information can be found on the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology website, ‘Growing
up in the online world’