Petition
We urge the UK Government to enforce 16 age-restricted social media access.
Rejected
21 signatures
What the petition asks
The rise of social media exposes UK children under 16 to harmful content, cyberbullying, grooming, and data exploitation. Existing laws lack mandatory age verification and enforcement. Urgent UK reforms are needed to protect children’s mental health and safety.
The rise of social media has exposed children under 16 to significant risks, including harmful content, cyberbullying, and data exploitation. Studies reveal increased anxiety, depression, and long-term psychological harm linked to unregulated online exposure.
Why it was rejected
There was already a petition about this issue. Duplicates are rejected so signatures collect in one place.
You may wish to sign the following petition, which calls for similar action:
Introduce 16 as the minimum age for children to have social media
Introduce 16 as the minimum age for children to have social media
Introduce 16 as the minimum age for children to have social media
Introduce 16 as the minimum age for children to have social media
Timeline
| 20 Dec 2024 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 12 Feb 2025 | Rejected by the Petitions Committee |
Key facts
Signatures
21
Status
Rejected
Rejected
12 Feb 2025
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 27 Jul 2026.