Mandrake 🐎The UK Government has launched a public consultation which is seeking views on whether to ban children from using social media. This consultation will run until 26 May 2026.
It is highly likely that later this year, the establishment will attempt to introduce legislation which forces social media platforms (potentially including Mastodon) and VPNs to verify the age of their users. Therefore, this consultation is likely to be the only opportunity we will have to push back against these authoritarian measures.
Please take the time to read the consultation and answer the questions (especially if you are the parent or carer of a young person):
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/growing-up-in-the-online-world-a-national-consultation
Growing up in the online world: a national consultation
We are consulting on further measures to prepare children for the future in an age of rapid technological change. This includes potential age restrictions on social media and other services such as gaming sites and AI chatbots, restrictions on addictive design features and risky functionalities, and better support for parents and families.
