The MP for Kingswinford & South Staffordshire has expressed his disappointment after a Conservative backed motion to protect children from harm on social media was defeated.
The vote, which took place yesterday in the House of Commons, saw the Conservative motion from the Houe of Lord’s defeated by the Government 307 to 173.
The vote asked MPs to consider an amendment proposed by Lord Nash to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. Amongst other things, Lord Nash’s amendment would have banned social media use by children under 16 within 12 months of the Bill becoming law.
However, the Government proposed replacing Lord Nash’s amendment with more wide-ranging powers, such as imposing social media curfews, depending on the outcome of a consultation launched last week.
The move to restrict children’s use of social media sites comes as campaigners told Leader of the Opposition, Kemi Badenoch and Shadow Secretary of State for Education their personal and harrowing accounts of bereaved parents in a recent joint press conference.
Mr Wood said: “Many parents and teachers have shared their concerns directly with me about the way social media exposes children to addictive, unregulated and sometimes harmful content.
"I’m disappointed that Labour chose to ignore the voices of parents and in the most extreme cases, families of children who have taken their own lives because of harmful content online.
"I recently met with Australian Parliamentarians and right across the political spectrum, they all agreed that their ban is having a positive impact without needing users to produce their ID.
The Government must do more to protect childhood and families, and kicking the can down the road was simply the wrong call today.
Of course, the Government's role isn't to police speech or tell adults what to think, but it should draw, clear, enforceable lines to protect our children, and we have always legislated sensibly when it comes to safeguarding young people.”
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