Tech companies have gone ‘too far’ in prioritising commercial instincts – peer

Tech companies have gone “way too far in prioritising their commercial instincts”, a Tory former minister said, as peers supported a social media ban for under-16s for the second time.

It comes after a jury in Los Angeles found that Google and Facebook owner Meta designed deliberately addictive products which harmed a 20-year-old’s mental health.

Lord Nash, who proposed the age limit as part of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, said “techies” have taken a “cavalier approach” to content damaging to children.

The House of Lords voted 266 to 141, majority 125 in favour of his amendment on Wednesday.

It is the second time he has pushed for a ban on under-16s from social media, after MPs voted against it earlier this month.

The Commons instead agreed to give the Government wider and more flexible power.

Addressing the House of Lords, Lord Nash said: “I have been the director of tech companies in California.

“The Californian techies are some of the most able, innovative, entrepreneurial, wealth and job-creating people in the world.

“But in relation to that cavalier approach that they have taken to harmful content online for our children, I think they’ve gone way too far in prioritising their commercial instincts, and we need to act now in a way that is truly effective.

“I don’t think I need to spend much time talking about the clear evidence and causal link between social media and harm to our children.

“But I was horrified to hear (Technology Secretary) Liz Kendall on the radio say a few weeks ago that there is no proven causal link. All I can say is, where has she been?”

He said he has “no faith in the outcome of the consultation” which is under way to help ministers decide how to lessen online harms.

Lord Nash became emotional as he paid tribute to bereaved parents who campaigned for a change in the law following the deaths of their children.

More than 20 family members sat in the gallery, including George and Areti Nicolaou, who clutched a photo of their son Christoforos, who took his own life after joining an online forum.

Paediatrician and crossbench peer Baroness Cass said the Government is “failing to understand the impact of social media on our children”.

She added: “The Government is taking a very, very narrow view to social media.

“They are locked into the psychological aspects of it, which are hugely important, but they are failing to look at the wider aspects and the direct harms that are being reiterated time and time again by professionals, both in schools, in clinics, and by the families who are sitting up in the gallery now.

“And it is disrespectful of the trauma to those families and to the people who are suffering direct harm to continue to grab headlines with these sort of cheap efforts to say we’re piloting something which is going to give us no information at all.”

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has announced a six-week pilot which will see 300 young people aged 13 to 17 try different restrictions on social media use to see the impact on their schoolwork, sleep and family life.

Children’s rights campaigner and crossbench peer Baroness Kidron spoke in support of Lord Nash’s amendment, telling the upper chamber: “While we consult, children are harmed in real time, and we cannot afford to wait.”

Referring to the case in California, crossbencher Lord Russell of Liverpool suggested the House of Lords should act as the UK’s jury on social media.

“We have heard about the malice and the fraud that these companies are visiting upon so many of our children and indeed on their unfortunate parents,” he said.

“We, as the jurors, should deliberate today and give a resounding verdict.”

Technology minister Baroness Lloyd of Effra had earlier said: “Many noble Lords have declared that they do not support an under-16 ban but are supporting this amendment to push the Government to do more. I can assure the House that the Government will do more.”

She added: “We know many people support a social media ban for under-16s, but other respected voices are concerned it is not the right approach. That is why the Government’s consultation is the responsible path forward.

“The consultation seeks views on the areas raised by (Lord Nash’s) amendment and beyond, including harms from gaming and AI chatbots. We have already received over 30,000 responses from experts, parents and young people.”