UK to consult on social media ban for under 16s

Laura CressTechnology reporterAFP via Getty ImagesThe government will consult on whether social media should be banned for under-16s in the UK.It said "immediate action" would give Ofsted the power to check policies on phone use when it inspects schools, and it expected schools to be "phone-free by default" as a result of the announcement.A similar ban took effect in Australia in December 2025, the first of its…