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Lauren Silverman Backs Bid to Raise UK Social Media Age to 16 Ahead of Commons Vote

Bereaved families cite addictive app design as grounds for a legal curb.

Overview

  • Silverman has joined the Raise the Age campaign pushing a UK law to bar under‑16s from social media, with a House of Commons vote scheduled this week.
  • Her stance hardened after she found her 12‑year‑old had installed Snapchat on her phone, so she banned social apps and now allows only texting and WhatsApp.
  • She says she monitors his group chats to track what classmates share and to spot problems early.
  • She highlights bereaved parents like Ellen Roome, who links her 14‑year‑old’s 2022 death to an online challenge and is seeking TikTok data.
  • Campaigners cite Australia’s December law and recent U.S. rulings against Meta and YouTube as evidence that stricter rules and platform accountability can reduce harm.