Young people demand stronger online protections in government consultation

Key facts

• A majority of young people desire stronger online protections, according to a government consultation.
• The consultation explored potential measures to enhance online safety for children and young people.
• Key areas considered included setting a minimum age for social media access and restricting features that encourage excessive use.
• The government aims to build on the Online Safety Act 2023 to ensure children's online experiences are safe.
• The consultation closed on May 26, 2026, with a government response expected in summer 2026.

A significant majority of young people are seeking enhanced online protections, as revealed by the results of a major government consultation. The initiative, titled 'Growing up in the online world,' aimed to understand the broader impact of technology on children's well-being and identify further measures to ensure online safety.

The consultation explored various proposals, including establishing a minimum age for social media access, restricting design features that promote excessive use like infinite scrolling and autoplay, and potentially raising the digital age of consent. It also considered the role of age verification technologies and whether guidance on mobile phone use in schools should be made statutory.

The government emphasized that the consultation built upon the foundation of the Online Safety Act 2023, which established a robust system for protecting children from illegal and harmful online content. The goal is to make the UK the safest place for children to engage with the digital world.

Responses were welcomed from a wide range of stakeholders, including children and young people themselves, parents, carers, civil society organizations, and industry representatives. Dedicated surveys were available for different groups to ensure diverse perspectives were captured. The consultation officially closed on May 26, 2026.