The UK House of Lords yesterday voted in favor of an amendment to ban social media use for those under 16, increasing pressure on the government to implement the ban. The amendment, proposed by Conservative MP and opposition figure John Nash, was passed with 261 votes to 150, receiving support from members of the Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats. Nash stated, "Tonight, our colleagues in the House of Lords have put our children's future first. This vote is the beginning of a process to stop the catastrophic harm social media is inflicting on a whole generation." Prior to the vote, Downing Street announced that the government would not accept the amendment, which will now be sent to the House of Commons, where the Labour Party holds a majority. This came after Prime Minister Keir Starmer declared on Monday that he would not rule out any options, pledging to work on protecting children, though his government indicated it wants to wait for the results of consultations scheduled for this summer before passing legislation. Calls are growing in the opposition and within the ruling Labour Party for the UK government to follow Australia's lead, which has banned under-16s from using social media since December 10. Over 60 MPs from Starmer's party have urged support for the ban. Public figures, including actor Hugh Grant, have also called on the government to back the proposal, insisting that parents alone cannot counter the damage caused by social media. However, some child protection organizations warn that the ban could create a false sense of security. A December poll by 'YouGov' showed that 74% of Britons support the ban.
