Calls for children's social media ban if OSA watered down in US trade talks
03/04/2025 | Sky News
Dame Rachel de Souza, the Children's Commissioner for England, has called for the complete removal of young people from social media if the Online Safety Act 2023 (OSA) is weakened due to US trade negotiations. Speaking to Sky News, Dame Rachel expressed deep concern over children as young as eight being exposed to harmful content like graphic violence and pornography online.
According to reports, Labour might revise the OSA to alleviate tariffs imposed by the Trump administration as the UK government pursues a trade deal with the US, with technology being a key focus. The government has declined to comment on whether the OSA is part of these negotiations.
Meanwhile, The Guardian reports that Dr Amy Orben, a leading academic tasked by the government to review the effects of smartphones on teenagers, has suggested that a blanket ban would be "unrealistic and potentially detrimental."
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