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Written question asked by James McMurdock (Independent (affiliation)) on Thursday, 5 February 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 9 February 2026. It was answered by Kanishka Narayan (Labour) on Tuesday, 17 February 2026 on behalf of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.


Social Media: Children

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of children under the age of 13 having personal social media profiles including public profile pictures on their safety.

Answer

To help companies comply with their duties under the Online Safety Act, Ofcom published guidance on the risks of illegal content and content to children as part of the Illegal Content Codes and Protection of Children Codes. The guidance notes the risks associated with children’s public profiles, such as abusive and hateful content, and the impact on different age groups. Service must refer to this guidance when implementing measures to protect children online.

We are launching a consultation to gather evidence to understand how best we can build on these provisions to ensure children have positive, enriched digital lives.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
111407
Session
2024-26
Related items
Internet: Children
Thursday, 19 March 2026
Written questions
House of Commons
Subjects
Children Photographs Safety Social media
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk