Online Safety: New Safeguarding Proposals for Social Media, Devices, and Schools

In June this year HM Government announced plans to regulate children and young people’s use of social media, which include a proposed ban on under-16s use of social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok , and limit access to addictive and high risk elements of social media use such as livestreaming and gaming services for 16 and 17-year-olds.

As the first regulations related to social media age restrictions are intended to be laid before Parliament by the end of 2026, HM Government has also announced plans to further legislate for stronger online and device-level protections against the taking, sharing or viewing of nude images.

The proposed new legislation will place legal requirements on all technology companies to install stronger safeguards. In an effort to tackle online abuse and child sexual exploitation, the proposals will require these companies to make it impossible for under-18s to send, take or view nude images on their devices or access nudity via their apps. Nudity detection filters will be switched on by default.

HM Government plans also include measures for schools. Following review, a new curriculum to strengthen media literacy and safe online use will be published next year, with implementation from 2028. Measures will include additional curriculum content designed to build the digital literacy, confidence and critical thinking children need to navigate the online world safely.

There is also a commitment to review the DFE statutory guidance on mobile phones in schools by the September 2027.

In addition, new guidance for parents and carers on screen use, including smartphones, by children aged 5 to 18yrs will be published this autumn. The guidance will be developed by the DFE 5–18 screen use Expert Advisory Group.

All the proposed measures are in response to the recommendations detailed in a report published by the Education Committee.

SSS Learning

16 September 2026