British public figure, current office-holder in UK government
The government has introduced default restrictions on social media for 16- and 17-year-olds, blocking access from midnight to 6am and turning off addictive features like infinite scroll and autoplay. Teens can override settings. A spring 2027 rollout follows a prior under-16 ban; pilots show improved sleep and concentration but critics call the move piecemeal.
As of April 2026, multiple countries including the UK, Turkey, Australia, and others have passed or are considering laws to restrict social media access for children under 15 or 16. The UK government has committed to imposing age restrictions for under-16s following consultations, while Turkey has passed a law banning under-15s from social media accounts. Australia’s ban on under-16s began in December 2025, with other nations planning similar measures.
As temperatures surge across the UK and Europe, schools face red heat warnings. Authorities urge adaptive measures from headteachers, including flexible timings, ventilation, hydration, and possible early closures. The debate over whether to close schools or keep them open intensifies as unions demand better climate-ready infrastructure.