Social media companies should be treated like the tobacco industry, Wes Streeting has argued, as he called for a ban on under-16s accessing certain platforms.
Speaking publicly about the prospect of a ban for the first time since he left government, the former health secretary said one was needed because large technology companies were trying to dodge regulations.
His intervention comes as the government prepares to close its consultation on an age limit for social media platforms, with ministers expected to make a final decision within weeks.
Streeting said: “Social media should be treated like tobacco – it’s extremely addictive, bad for our health, and big tech is borrowing the big tobacco playbook to avoid regulation. We’ve got to give our children their childhood back.
“A ban for under-16s must be the start, not the end. We have given the pen to tech moguls to write our future for us. It’s time to take the pen back.”
Streeting, who quit the government earlier this month in protest against Keir Starmer’s leadership of the country and the Labour party, was known as one of the strongest advocates for a ban within the cabinet.
But he encountered resistance from some colleagues over concerns about whether it would force children on to the dark web or leave them ill-equipped to use the technology when they reached 16.
Ministers have been running a consultation for the last 12 weeks on whether or not to follow the Australian example of setting a strict age limit on access.
Other measures could include putting age limits on certain app features such as livestreaming, location sharing and infinite scrolling, where feeds reload automatically and the page never ends.
Personalised algorithms, which create a bespoke content feed for users, could also be curbed and mandatory screen curfews are also under consideration.
The consultation is also asking whether age restrictions, curbing some features and time limits might be appropriate for certain chatbots.
The consultation will close at the end of Tuesday, with ministers promising a response this summer.
A government spokesperson said: “Everyone – especially children and young people – should be able to have a positive, safe experience online.
“That’s why we are consulting on a wide range of measures, from restricting social media access to potential app curfews, to ensure we get the balance right and protect young people from harm.”
As they prepare to make a decision, various groups are urging the government to take stringent action.
A group of bereaved parents who say social media played a role in their children’s deaths will meet the prime minister on Tuesday to make their views clear.
They will include proponents of a ban such as Esther Ghey, the mother of the murdered teenager Brianna Ghey, but also some who do not support such a move, such as Ian Russell, the father of Molly Russell.
Meanwhile, a coalition of children’s organisations, including the NSPCC, Girlguiding and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), has said age limits alone would not be enough, calling for a targeted ban on advertising, profiling and manipulative design features.
In a joint statement, shared with the Guardian, they said “raising the digital age of consent will not fix these deeper structural issues”.
However, they want a full ban for under-13s on personalised services – including social media, AI chatbots and some gaming systems.
The RCPCH said social media was causing “real harms and real dangers” to children after a survey of 60 paediatricians found widespread concern about its effects.
The survey showed 49% of doctors cited self-harm and suicidal tendencies as their biggest concern with social media, while 45% said bullying and peer conflict and 39% mentioned mental health problems such as anxiety and depression.
