Sir Keir Starmer today announced that under-16s will be banned from major social media platforms including TikTok and Instagram and mum-of-five Stacey Solomon has responded
Stacey Solomon has been left overwhelmed after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced a new social media ban for under-16s.
Stacey, mum to Zachary, 18, Leighton, 14, Rex, seven, Rose, four, and Belle, three, was thrilled with this morning’s news that he would be imposing restrictions on social media for all children this morning. It came as part of a fight to secure online safety as he put in place measures to protect youngsters.
The PM pledged to take on the tech giants and “call time on a system that’s failing kids” and Stacey – who has helped campaign for action – is delighted by the confirmation.
“My God, finally,” Stacey said on a video on Instagram. “I just thought I would come on and just say to anyone who signed that petition that I shared the other day, or any petition, or has made any noise around this whatsoever – thank you, and massive well done.
“I know we don’t know what the ban looks like, and how it’s going to be enforced, but even just the Prime Minister acknowledging it, and bringing it forward, and making steps to make it happen is incredible.
“When I got into my hotel last night, I met some of the families [of the victims] who were on the news this morning, because they’re staying up here.
“It was just by coincidence, I got to meet them. I had no idea they were going to be here. One of the mums just came up to me when I got to reception. What they’ve been through the unimaginable. They’ve lost their children.
“I’m so relieved that something is finally happening, and they’ve campaigned so long and so hard for this, and I’m just so grateful to them, because I’ve got three little ones. My teenagers missed it, and social media wasn’t as prevalent when they were growing up as it is now, but I worry so much about Rex, Rose and Belle.
“I’m so grateful to those families who have been through the absolute worst thing in the world, and have still campaigned and fought for other children, and hopefully, this will be a massive change and more help for, like, the next generations to come.”
Announcing the news, the Prime Minister said that he was “not prepared to compromise on the safety and happiness of our children”, and that is “why this ban must happen, and why this ban will happen.”
“Social media is making children unhappy,” he said, adding that it is “designed to be addictive” with features that “lock you in for hours.”
Bereaved parents have been reacting to the news, with Ellen Roome, the mum of Jools Sweeney, saying she and others had shed a tear when the ban was announced.
Schoolboy Jools Sweeney was 14 when he took his own life in 2022, and Ms Roome believes his death could have been linked to an online challenge gone wrong.
She told the Press Association: “Sitting with the other bereaved parents, we all did shed a tear. We shouldn’t be having to be in this position but we all lost our children and campaigned to make a difference for other people’s children, so it was a very powerful but important moment. So delighted to hear it.”
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