{
  "id": 10891173,
  "title": "Nandy says children’s social media ban only ‘staging post’ in online safety drive",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/nandy-says-childrens-social-media-ban-only-staging-post-in-online-10891173",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-09-30T05:00:12.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Guardian Technology",
    "slug": "guardian-technology",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/sep/30/lisa-nandy-social-media-ban-online-safety-culture-secretary"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has stated that the UK's new online safety measures, including a ban on under-16s accessing certain social media apps, are merely a \"staging post\" in the government's broader effort to be \"pioneers of tech as a force for good.\" She vowed that this crackdown is not the end, but rather a stepping stone towards a more active and interventionist state that regulates the online space to ensure the safety of individuals, particularly children. Nandy praised her predecessor Keir Starmer and former Technology Secretary Liz Kendall for initiating the ban in June, but expressed a belief that the government's approach has significantly improved since Andy Burnham took office in July, appointing her to handle online safety. Comparing social media to real-world civic spaces, she highlighted that society would be outraged if town centres were deemed unsafe, leading to children being confined to their rooms. Nandy questioned why the same level of concern hasn't been applied to online platforms, which she believes are dangerous and harmful to children. The ban, which applies to apps like TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, and Instagram, garnered more than 116,000 responses, with 85% of parents believing the risks outweigh the benefits. Nandy emphasized her commitment to hold big tech companies accountable and highlighted the government's willingness to challenge US authorities if necessary. Despite the internet being \"entirely outsourced to the private sector,\" Nandy argued that this outsourcing is unacceptable and that the state must take a more active role in shaping online spaces. She called for the introduction of a public service algorithm to compete with big tech, aligning with the vision of a world leader in tech as a force for good under Burnham's leadership.",
  "summary": "Exclusive: Culture secretary says UK will crack down further and be ‘pioneer of tech as a force for good’ Lisa Nandy has warned technology firms that the government’s online safety crackdown is not finished, saying that banning under-16s from social media platforms is only a “staging post”. Earlier this year the government announced that teenagers under the age of 16 would be banned from…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Guardian Business",
        "title": "Nandy says children’s social media ban only ‘staging post’ in online safety drive",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/nandy-says-childrens-social-media-ban-only-staging-post-in-online",
        "published": "2026-09-30T05:00:12.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}