UK government move to delay social media ban faces pushback in Lords

Peers and campaigners say proposal for three-year window to impose controls breaks promise of quick action Peers will vote on Monday on a government move that could delay action on children’s access to social media for up to three years, which has triggered a backlash from campaigners and senior figures in the Lords. Ministers tabled an amendment to the children’s wellbeing and schools bill that would allow them to wait before introducing new restrictions, Critics warn it risks watering down earlier commitments to act within months and could result in only limited interventions such as parental controls rather than sweeping measures on access. Campaigners are urging the Lords to reject the government’s approach and instead back a tougher proposal led by the Tory peer John Nash. His amendment would force the government to raise the minimum age for children accessing social media platforms to 16 within 12 months. Peers have already backed Lord Nash’s proposal three times, most recently by a margin of 126 votes. But the government used its Commons majority to block the change, prompting its reintroduction at a critical late stage of the bill’s passage. Since the prorogation of parliam