SDLP Leader Claire Hanna MP has expressed her support for the UK Government's newly launched consultation aimed at enhancing the online safety of young people. The move comes as ministers explore a range of measures to protect children's wellbeing, including the potential for a social media ban for those under the age of 16.

The consultation seeks to address growing concerns over the impact of unregulated digital spaces. Beyond age-based restrictions, the government is considering raising the digital age of consent, implementing mobile phone curfews, and curbing addictive platform features such as "infinite scrolling" and "streaks".

Claire Hanna, the MP for South Belfast and Mid Down, noted that the internet has increasingly become a source of harm for younger users. She highlighted issues ranging from the creation of sexualised images to the targeted delivery of hard-right messaging and harmful content regarding body image, which she described as tools for bullying and grooming.

A Holistic Approach Required While welcoming the move toward regulation, the SDLP Leader cautioned that a ban should not be viewed as a standalone fix. She urged the government to examine the implementation of similar measures in Australia, which enacted a social media ban for under-16s in December 2025. "Action to tackle these issues is long overdue and the SDLP welcomes this consultation, however an outright ban is not a solution on its own," Ms Hanna said. "We need to learn lessons from the ban in Australia and be informed by their experiences. These measures must include far better education for young people and parents about both the risks and the positives of being online, rather than relying solely on blanket restrictions."

Holding Big Tech to Account A central part of the SDLP's position is the need for more robust regulation of the algorithms used by social media firms. Ms Hanna emphasised that the responsibility to act also lies with local leadership, calling on the Northern Ireland Executive and the Justice Minister to ensure the region keeps pace with international best practices.

"We must hold social media companies to account and regulate the algorithms that push some of the most harmful content directly towards young users," she added. "The Executive and the Justice Minister also have a responsibility to act beyond this consultation. Northern Ireland must keep pace with best practice and take meaningful steps to protect young people online."

The UK Government is expected to respond to the findings of the national consultation by the summer of 2026. In the meantime, immediate steps have already been taken to empower Ofsted to check mobile phone policies during school inspections, moving toward a "phone-free by default" environment in classrooms.