Growing up in the online world: a national consultation

Why we consulted

Technology is part of most children’s lives from an early age. It can help children learn, build friendships and develop creativity. But it also brings risks, and many parents, teachers and young people have told us the current situation is not working well enough. 

Social media use among children and adolescents is almost universal.  The proportion of children with social media profiles has increased significantly in the last 5 years. We must ensure children can engage with the online world safely, and that parents and carers feel confident to support and empower their children online. 

This consultation is the next step in the government’s work to ensure children’s experiences online are safe and enriching. We want to understand how technology impacts children’s wellbeing, and what more we can do to help families strike the right balance.

Do you remember what your childhood looked like?

National Consultation

Background

The Online Safety Act 2023 established one of the strongest systems in the world for protecting children from illegal and harmful content online. This consultation built on that foundation to consider the broader impact of technology on children’s everyday lives.

Given the importance of the internet and digital services in today’s society, we need to consider whether additional measures could build on our existing approach and ensure the UK remains the safest place for children to be online.

What we consulted on

The consultation considered how children use digital technology as well as measures including:

• setting a minimum age for children to access social media - and what age would be right
• restricting risky functionalities and design features that encourage excessive use, such as infinite scrolling and autoplay
• whether the digital age of consent should be raised
• how age verification and age assurance technologies can support effective implementation
• whether the guidance on the use of mobile phones in schools should be put on a statutory footing
• better support for parents, including clearer guidance and simpler parental controls

Who we wanted to hear from

We welcomed responses from everyone, including children and young people, whose voices are central to this process. A dedicated version of this consultation was published for children, and a separate version for parents and carers. We also heard views through a series of national events.

There were 3 surveys to choose from.

• A full consultation for anyone (civil society, industry and members of the public)
  
• Survey for parents and carers of young people aged 21 and under
  
• Survey for children and young people (aged 10 to 21)

What happens next

This consultation closedconsultation on the 26 May 2026. Theclosed on the 26 May 2026. The government has committed to taking swift action on its findings. On 16 February 2026, the Prime Minister announced new legal powers to allow the government to act swiftly afteract swiftly after the consultation response,consultation response, without waiting for new primary legislation.legislation.  

A Wefurther willupdate publishon ouradditional responsemeasures and inthe summerfull 2026.range of questions will be published in July.