‘Like tobacco’: Wes Streeting calls for partial social media ban for under-16s
Wes Streeting says social media should be treated like tobacco and partly banned for under-16s. The government is weighing age limits, curfews and feature limits.
Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini
Streeting, a prominent Labour figure, backed a partial under-16s ban and said big tech is dodging regulation like tobacco firms once did. His intervention lands as ministers close a consultation on age limits, curfews and other controls.
Wes Streeting thinks social media can be as harmful as tobacco, especially for children. He wants some apps to be off-limits for people under 16.
The UK government is deciding what rules might be needed. It could use age checks, time limits, or stop apps from using features that keep people scrolling forever.
This matters because many adults worry that some apps can pull children in too hard, like a game with no pause button. Different groups disagree on the best fix, but they all want children safer online.
Analysis
What Streeting is arguing
Wes Streeting says social media should be treated more like tobacco than like a neutral consumer product. In his view, the platforms are highly addictive and harmful, and large tech companies are using tactics similar to those once used by tobacco firms to resist regulation. He called for a ban on under-16s accessing certain platforms and said that such a move should be only the beginning.
Where the government stands
His intervention comes as ministers prepare to close a consultation on possible age limits for social media. The government is expected to decide within weeks, after 12 weeks of consultation. Options under discussion include restricting access to some platforms, limiting specific features such as livestreaming, location sharing and infinite scrolling, and placing curfews on use. The consultation is also looking at whether similar limits should apply to certain chatbots.
Pushback and support
Streeting’s comments matter because he is seen as a likely contender to replace Keir Starmer if Labour faces a leadership challenge later this year. He had been one of the strongest supporters of a ban inside cabinet before leaving government earlier this month. Some colleagues worried a strict ban could push children toward less supervised corners of the internet or leave them unprepared for technology later on.
Outside government, pressure is building from several directions. Bereaved parents are due to meet the prime minister and make their case, including some who support a ban and others who do not. At the same time, children’s groups and medical bodies are pushing for wider action against advertising, profiling and manipulative design. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health says social media is creating real harms for children, while doctors surveyed for the academy reported concerns about self-harm, bullying and anxiety linked to online content.
Key points
- Streeting compared social media regulation to the way tobacco was handled.
- He backed a partial ban on under-16s using certain platforms.
- The UK government is closing a consultation on age limits and other controls.
- Possible measures include curfews, feature restrictions and limits on chatbots.
- Doctors, children’s groups and bereaved parents are pressing for stronger action.
