Patrick Hurley, MP for Southport, has signed a joint letter addressed to the new Prime Minister Andy Burnham to support the government’s commitment to protect children under the age of 16 from accessing social media.
In the letter, signed by 24 Labour MPs across the country, it welcomes the Prime Minister’s ‘personal commitment to the issue’ and calls on them to maintain the ambition set out by Keir Starmer and ‘proceed rapidly with… its implementation’, calling on the implementation of legislation by this December.
In June, the government committed to banning social media platforms from offering services to under-16s, including platforms such as Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X. The government also announced that it will go further with world-leading blocks for under-16s on harmful functions such as livestreaming and strangers communicating with children.
By October, MPs are expected to be provided with more information on Ofcom’s proposed approach, and the letter calls on a timetable to be published for when remaining aspects of the package will be shared by September.
Patrick Hurley, MP for Southport and the Northern Parishes, said:
“I’ve long been concerned about the impact of social media for young people, and I welcomed when plans for a ban were introduced in June.
Young people should also be provided with real alternatives and opportunities beyond social media, through sport, arts, youth services and stronger community provision.
I will work with the new Prime Minister and their agenda to ensure young people are kept safe online, whilst providing opportunities through education and culture in my constituency and throughout the country”
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