The UK government will consult on a potential ban of social media for under-16s, with Technology Secretary Liz Kendall leading the initiative. This follows calls from Labour MPs and the mother of murder victim Brianna Ghey, who argued against social media's pervasive influence on vulnerable children.

• The consultation will gather views from parents, young people, and civil society, and will also explore stricter age checks for social media platforms.
• Ofsted will gain powers to inspect school phone policies, with an expectation for schools to be “phone-free by default.”
• While many prominent figures and educational bodies like the National Education Union (NEU) and Association of School and College Leaders welcome the consultation, some charities, including NSPCC, argue a ban would be the “wrong solution,” potentially creating a false sense of safety.