Jersey Children’s Commissioner Questions UK Under-16 Social Media Ban

The UK government’s plan to ban social media use for under-16s has been criticised as “disappointing” by the Office of the Children’s Commissioner for Jersey (OCCJ), which argues the move will not effectively shield children from online harm.

The OCCJ said the announcement by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer represents “a disappointing move that will neither keep children safe from potential online harms nor support their rights,” adding that it is seeking further clarity on how the policy could affect children in Jersey.

According to the commissioner, the proposal is “neither the right, most effective, or only way of keeping children safe online and protecting their rights,” warning that it risks shifting responsibility away from social media companies rather than addressing their practices directly. It argued that platforms should be “safe by design” and provide appropriate, age-appropriate spaces for young users.

The OCCJ, an independent human rights body funded by the States and focused on protecting children’s rights in Jersey, is now examining what impact, if any, the UK-wide restriction could have locally.

Sir Keir said in his speech that social media contributes to children’s unhappiness, enables bullying, and is deliberately designed to be addictive, arguing that restrictions would give young people more time, security, and freedom to develop away from online pressures.

Jersey’s former Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham had previously indicated support in principle for similar restrictions on under-16s in the island. Meanwhile, the current Chief Minister has said ministers will revisit the issue once a new Council of Ministers is formed, alongside a review of existing legislation by the Law Commission to identify gaps in online safety protections.

Public reaction in Jersey remains divided. Some residents, including Magdalena Ford, argue the ban fails to address deeper cultural pressures on young people, while others, like Donna Heads, have welcomed the idea as a potential safeguard for children despite acknowledging its difficulties.