Consultation outcome

Summary of ministerial and official engagement: National Conversation

Updated 15 July 2026

Executive Summary

The National Conversation launched on 2 March 2026 alongside the Growing up in the online world consultation. Its purpose was to hear from the public, including children, parents, carers, experts, non-experts and teachers, about children’s experiences online and how the online world can be made safer.

The National Conversation brought together a broad range of perspectives and lived experiences from across the UK, including reaching those who do not typically engage with government consultations. It sat alongside formal consultation channels and surveys, and included both large-scale national engagement and more targeted, in-depth engagement, to ensure a wide and diverse range of voices and lived experiences informed policy development.

This broad range of insights, alongside formal consultation responses and survey data, has been pivotal in shaping the government’s decisions.

Headline reach and activity

The National Conversation, delivered by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), involved extensive engagement across the UK and beyond, including:

• More than 40 engagements involving the Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, and the Minister for AI and Online Safety, including visits and events across the UK with schools, youth organisations, sports clubs, parents and civil society groups, as well as a visit to Australia;

• More than 100 engagements led by DSIT and the Department for Education (DfE), including stakeholder roundtables and workshops, bilateral meetings and policy discussions with civil society, industry and researchers, bringing together organisations, experts, practitioners and individuals with lived experience;

• More than 200 outreach engagements with organisations across civil society, industry and academia, reaching over 1,500 stakeholders and enabling partners to share and promote the consultation through their own networks.

This activity helped ensure that the consultation reached people across the United Kingdom – England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – with a broad range of experiences, through a combination of in-person and online engagement. It enabled us to hear from groups whose voices are not always represented in policy discussions, including through trusted networks and community-based organisations. This breadth of engagement helped us to understand how young people experience the online world in different contexts, recognising that experiences can vary significantly depending on individual circumstances and settings.

What we heard

Through the National Conversation, people shared a wide range of experiences and views about children’s experiences of the online world. Across different forms of engagement, several consistent themes emerged, including:

• Growing support, particularly among parents and teachers, for stronger age-related restrictions, including a restriction on social media companies from providing their services to under-16s.

• Concern, particularly from young people and civil society, about the risks of a blanket ban, including that it could drive children to less regulated spaces or cut off vulnerable young people from vital support.

• The need for clearer safeguards and accountability for platforms, including expectations around safety by design and protection from harmful content and interactions.

• Widespread concern about the risks of AI chatbots for children, including emotional dependency, exposure to inappropriate content, and the impact on critical thinking and creativity.

• Concerns about the amount of time children spend online, particularly where platform design features (such as notifications and streaks) may encourage prolonged engagement.

• The importance of balancing the benefits of being online with protection from harm.

• The importance of media and digital literacy in helping children and young people navigate the online world and the need for more practical support for schools, families and the wider community.

• The importance of ensuring that protections work for children with different needs and experiences, including those who may be more vulnerable.

Approach

In order to maximise reach and ensure a wide range of voices were heard, the National Conversation combined three complementary strands of engagement: large-scale surveys and youth-led sessions; working with partner organisations, Parliamentarians and other government departments to promote wide distribution and maximise outreach; and targeted engagement, including activity led by Ministers and officials, to gather more in-depth insight from different groups.

1. Large-scale surveys and youth-led sessions

DSIT commissioned Savanta, a data, market research and advisory company, to develop and run dedicated child- and parent-friendly versions of the consultation, as well as nationally representative panel surveys. The children’s survey received 5,113 responses and the parent survey 39,116. The nationally representative panels, designed to complement these open surveys, reached 9,017 children and young people and 5,011 parents and guardians.

Savanta also worked with UK Youth and Volunteering Matters to deliver seven “Hack” events across the UK, in Belfast, Newcastle, Caerphilly, Brighton, Gloucester, Ipswich and Edinburgh. These workshops brought together more than 200 young people aged 10–18 in structured, facilitated sessions to share their experiences of being online, explore the challenges they face and discuss how the online environment could be improved.

Together, these activities provided both quantitative and qualitative insights into children and young people’s experiences of the online world and helped ensure that young people’s voices were central to the National Conversation. The findings from the surveys directly informed the policy decisions set out in the government’s announcement. Full survey summaries and qualitative insights from the Hack events will be published in July.

2. Targeted engagement

Alongside the survey data and youth sessions, DSIT and DfE undertook targeted engagement across ten core groups:

• Children and young people, including those with lived experience of online harm.
• Children and young people from vulnerable and marginalised communities
• Parents, carers and trusted support networks
• Education staff and youth practitioners, including teaching unions and representative bodies
• Safety and harm reduction organisations
• Industry
• Evidence and research organisations, including academics and research institutions.
• Parliamentarians
• International partners
• Other outreach, including wider stakeholders bringing diverse perspectives

This included activity led by Ministers and officials to gather deeper insights.

2.1 Children and young people, including those with lived experience of online harm

Putting the voices of children and young people at the heart of the National Conversation was fundamental. As the consultation focused on their online experiences, it was essential their voices shaped the policy.

Case study 1: The Molly Rose Foundation’s Open Space Event

The Molly Rose Foundation hosted an open space event in Shoreditch, London, with the aim of answering the question “How can we keep young people safe online?”. This event brought together civil society, young people, experts and families with experience of online harm, which Minister Narayan, DSIT, DfE and Home Office officials attended.

What we heard:

• Strong support for placing greater responsibility on platforms to design safer online environments; concern around blanket bans with the view that restrictions to social media must be accompanied by meaningful alternative provision, such as safe online spaces, youth work offers and improved offline community spaces;

• Young people called for more agency, nuance and recognition of the role online spaces play in their lives.

Case study 2: Visit to the Bytes Project in Glengormley, Newtownabbey

During his Online Experiences tour, Minister Narayan visited the Bytes Project in Newtownabbey, an organisation that combines youth work and technology to help young people transform their lives. The Minister met with young people completing the Cyber Quest programme at Bytes and to hear their views on the consultation.

What we heard:

• Young people felt uncomfortable with the prolonged use and relationships some children have with AI chatbots, though most said their own AI use was for picture creation, editing, research and schoolwork.

• Opinion was split on a ban for under-16s, but the majority were against, and all thought a ban would be unenforceable and easily circumvented.

• Some raised concerns that banning mainstream social media platforms could push young people towards higher-risk sites with more extreme content, echoing their own experiences of circumventing pornography restrictions.

Case study 3: The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology visited Hammersmith Academy to learn about mobile phone use

The Secretary of State visited Hammersmith Academy to learn about the school’s “phone-free” approach and to speak to parents, pastoral support staff and students aged 11–16 who use pouches to lock phones away during the school day.

What we heard:

• Young people felt that they spend a lot of time on social media, and that they rely on it to connect with their friends. They noted they spend much of their time doomscrolling instead of doing schoolwork.

• They also reflected that a ban would enable them to spend more time on out of school activities.

Case study 4: Basketball at the Black Prince Trust

Minister Narayan visited the Black Prince Trust in Lambeth, London — working with the local community to provide safe access to physical activity for people of all ages which includes significant support for young people through sport, education and youth provision — where he joined a basketball session before speaking with young people aged 15–18 about their views on the Growing Up in the Online World consultation.

What we heard:

• Young people said they regularly see content that is not age-appropriate, despite not searching for it, pushed to them by algorithms.

• Young people were in favour of limitations and “teen accounts” but did not support an outright ban, although some saw merit in raising the age of access to around 14 or 15, linked to GCSEs.

• Measures young people wanted to see included: no doom scrolling, no suggestive posts, no adverts, set daily time limits, morning and night curfews, bans during school time, no live streaming, limitations on location sharing, and protections against unwanted contact from strangers.
• Several supported tiered, age-based experiences (e.g. 13–16 accounts, 16–18 accounts, 18+), with different features and protections at each stage.

2.2 Children and young people from vulnerable and marginalised communities

Hearing from vulnerable or marginalised communities was a crucial part of the National Conversation, ensuring policy was informed by the experiences of those whose relationship with the online world may be shaped by additional barriers, needs or responsibilities. These voices are not always heard through traditional engagement routes.

Engagement was primarily facilitated through trusted organisations and networks with established relationships, helping to create an environment in which participants felt comfortable sharing their experiences openly. This included young people with special educational needs and disabilities; those who face isolation or other challenges in rural communities; children in care; young carers; and children who are blind or partially sighted. We also sought the views of organisations supporting young people, including children at risk of digital poverty, young carers and looked-after children. This recognised the importance of hearing from those whose online experiences may be shaped by caring responsibilities or reduced access to offline support and social connection.

Case study 5: National Youth Agency session with young people from Essex Youth Service, VICTA, Electric Storm Youth and Space Youth Services

DSIT officials joined two National Youth Agency sessions to hear from young people who rely on digital spaces due to disability, caring responsibility, neurodiversity or geography. Young people joined from: Essex Youth Service, a local authority youth service providing a range of support for young people both in person and online; VICTA - a national charity supporting visually impaired and blind young people; Electric Storm - a youth work charity based in West Sussex; and Space Youth Service - connecting young people in rural Devon through digital and in -person youth work.

What we heard:

• Young people described online platforms as essential for friendships, confidence and community, especially for those who are neurodivergent, rurally isolated or socially anxious.

• There was strong concern about AI’s impact on creativity and critical thinking, and support for age restrictions for either under 16 or under 18 years old on chatbots.

• Young people felt platforms design features have changed for the worse due to more algorithm-driven content, hostility and hard-to-control features like location sharing and infinite scroll.

• Participants emphasised that responsibility for online safety should be shared with technology companies, the government and regulators playing a central role alongside parents.

• Schools and youth workers were seen as important in supporting young people to navigate digital spaces safely.

Case study 6: Savanta “Join the Chat” youth-led Hack events

As part of the National Conversation, DSIT commissioned Savanta, working with UK Youth and Volunteering Matters, to deliver seven youth-led Hack events across the UK, in Belfast, Newcastle, Caerphilly, Brighton, Gloucester, Ipswich and Edinburgh. These workshops brought together more than 200 young people aged 10–18 in structured, facilitated sessions to share their experiences of being online, explore the challenges they face and discuss how the online environment could be improved.

The sessions were co-designed with young people around the theme “Designing a better, safer, and fairer online world for under-16s”. Young facilitators led peer-to-peer discussions, with adults providing light support on timing, safeguarding and logistics. Participants used creative activities to assess online features, imagine a safer online world in 2036, and develop practical “keep, fix, replace” proposals for platforms, features and problems.

What we heard:

• Young people feel reform to social media is needed but tend to stop short of wanting a full ban. Specifically, young people want to feel more control over social media, in terms of the types of content they are exposed to and being able to limit features they see as harmful.

• Algorithmic features like infinite scroll and autoplay were regularly referenced as addictive and encouraging levels of engagement with social media that young people feel is unhealthy.

• Despite the negatives of social media, young people cite many benefits, primarily related to connection and learning.

• AI emerged as a significant area of focus for young people. There were widespread concerns about misinformation, disinformation, and deepfakes. AI was seen as making social media a less safe and trustworthy space.

2.3 Parents, carers and trusted support networks

Hearing from parents, carers and trusted intermediaries was central to the National Conversation. Alongside the parents and carers survey, DSIT and DfE engaged with parents and carers through a range of routes, including roundtables, online events, partnerships with schools, charities and community organisations, Ministerial visits across the UK and targeted media engagement with local news outlets. This targeted engagement helped reach groups with lower participation rates, for examples fathers, and underrepresented regions, and ensured the consultation captured a broad range of parenting experiences and family circumstances.

Case study 7: Minister Narayan’s Online Experiences Tour

The Minister for AI and Online Safety, Kanishka Narayan MP, undertook a three-day online experiences tour of the UK, visiting Liverpool, Carlisle, Salford, Belfast and Edinburgh to hear directly from a diverse range of young people, parents and carers, including those in rural areas and multi-generational groups. Visits included sessions with Scouts and girls at Everton FC, as well as an appearance on Newsround to promote the consultation to young people.

At Citadel Youth Centre in Edinburgh, the Minister spoke to parents, carers, young people, and youth workers to hear their thoughts.

What we heard:

• Parents and carers agreed social media in its current form is not suitable for children, though views ranged from an outright ban for under-16s to stricter controls through “teen accounts”. Addiction, sleep deprivation and negative impacts on mood were raised as key concerns by all parents.

• There was strong support for free, accessible activities and spaces for young people, such as youth centres, community groups and sports clubs.

• Parents backed measures including removing infinite scrolling, daily time limits, overnight curfews, and protections against contact from strangers.

• Young people reflected on the challenges they face online, including misinformation, scams and the impact of phones and social media on face-to-face interaction. They also cautioned that restrictions need to be designed carefully, as some young people may try to work around barriers or move activity into less visible, potentially riskier spaces.

2.4 Education staff and youth practitioners, including teaching unions and representative bodies

DSIT and DfE engaged with education staff and youth practitioners, as well as organisations who work with them, to understand the practical realities of supporting children to have a safe experience online in schools, colleges and youth settings. DfE commissioned a survey of teachers and youth practitioners, ran an online event for teachers and school leaders, shared the consultation through their sector bulletin and facilitated discussions through their regular forums and reference and advisory groups.

Case study 8: Hearing from Primary and Secondary School Headteachers

DfE and DSIT heard from primary and secondary school headteachers from across the country about their views on the Growing up in the online world consultation.

What we heard:

• Headteachers felt that the most significant harms linked to phones stem from social media use outside school hours.

• Schools have to manage the behavioural and wellbeing impacts of online activity in the classroom.

• Greater support for parents is needed, including in understanding device harms and accessing tools such as parental controls.

2.5 Safety and harm reduction organisations

Throughout the National Conversation, DSIT engaged closely with a number of civil society organisations and charities who focus on protecting children online. Engagement included policy deep dives with key organisations such as the NSPCC, The Molly Rose Foundation, Childnet, Internet Matters, ParentZone, the Internet Watch Foundation, and Smartphone Free Childhood. These sessions explored views on the consultation proposals in detail, including on age restrictions, platform design features, and the balance between protection and the benefits of being online.

Case study 9: NSPCC and Wilton Park event — Childhood in the Age of AI

The Secretary of State and Minister Narayan attended the NSPCC/Wilton Park “Childhood in the Age of AI” event as part of the National Conversation. Delivered in partnership with the NSPCC, Common Sense Media and Wilton Park, the event brought together young people, experts, technology companies, civil society and policymakers to explore how AI is shaping childhood and how children can benefit from AI without being exposed to harm.

The event was designed to ensure children’s perspectives were considered in the development, deployment and regulation of AI technologies, and to examine both the opportunities AI may create for children and the safety risks associated with rapidly developing technologies such as generative AI and AI chatbots.

What we heard:

• Children’s voices should be central to AI policy and technology design, particularly where decisions affect their safety, wellbeing and future online experiences.

• AI can bring benefits for children, but only if safety, accountability and child-centred design are built in from the outset.

• Generative AI can create or amplify risks including bullying, grooming, sextortion, harmful content and AI-generated child sexual abuse material, reinforcing the need for stronger safeguards and accountability.

• Parents, carers and children need practical support and media literacy to help them understand and navigate AI-generated content safely.

2.6 Industry

We engaged with industry during policy development through group calls and more detailed discussions. This included a group session facilitated by techUK, as well as policy deep dives with individual companies. Engagement covered a broad range of services, including social media platforms, gaming services, AI developers, VPN providers, and others, and considered how different policy options would apply across these services in practice.

Case study 10: Prime Minister’s meeting with major social media companies at Downing Street

The Prime Minister brought senior leaders from Meta, Snap, Google (YouTube), TikTok and X to Downing Street to press for progress on protecting children online and to hear what further action they were taking in response to families’ concerns.

What we heard:

• Some companies had already introduced protections such as disabling autoplay for children by default, giving parents greater control over screen time, and introducing curfews.

• The Prime Minister and Technology Secretary made clear that companies needed to go further and move faster to strengthen protections for children.

• The meeting reinforced the government’s expectation that platforms take greater responsibility for child safety online and be ready for next steps following the consultation.

Case study 11: Policy deep dive with techUK members

DSIT officials held a policy deep dive with techUK to gather industry perspectives on ensuring children have a safe experience online while building on the existing regulatory framework.

What we heard:

• Participants raised that child safety should remain paramount, but blanket age-based bans or fixed platform lists are unlikely to be effective.

• We also heard that an evidence-led, risk-based approach was strongly favoured, focusing on risk-relevant characteristics such as high-risk functionalities rather than arbitrary thresholds.

• There was a clear view that government should build on and leverage the Online Safety Act, rather than introducing overlapping or duplicative frameworks.

• The benefits of children being online were emphasised, including access to information and broader rights-based considerations.

• There were concerns that poorly targeted regulation could create a “whack-a-mole” effect, chasing new services rather than allowing safety-by-design and existing regulation to bed in and be evaluated.

2.7 Evidence and research organisations, including academics and research institutions

We engaged with academics and research institutions, who shared relevant findings from their current research in this area. As part of our outreach, we also shared survey links with several universities across the UK. The department has also established an expert panel of academics and researchers to review the existing evidence base associated with online well-being. The panel includes leading experts in computer science, psychology, psychiatry and children’s physical and mental health, and has examined data relating to considered harmful features and functionality, addiction and age-specific dangers. The expert panel will continue to provide support as the government enters the implementation and delivery phase of our work.

2.8 Parliamentarians

Members of Parliament (MPs) played an important role in supporting the National Conversation. MPs were provided with a structured engagement toolkit, including guidance and sessions plans for young people, parents and carers in their constituencies.

DSIT received 39 formal consultation responses from MPs, drawing on evidence from local engagement activities such as surveys, coffee mornings and roundtables.

MPs reported that constituents expressed strong concern about the effects of social media on children and young people, particularly on wellbeing, development and safety, and often linked these harms to platform design (including algorithm-driven feeds and features that encourage prolonged use). While many people acknowledged benefits such as connection and access to information, there was broad support for clearer protections, including age-related measures, alongside stronger parental support and digital/media literacy. There was also a clear call for greater accountability on platforms, rather than placing responsibility primarily on families.

Case study 12: MP engagement with constituents in Clwyd North

The MP for Clwyd North in Wales, Gill German MP, led a constituency-wide campaign to ensure children are safe online, engaging over 300 Year 10 and 12 pupils across multiple secondary schools and colleges through surveys and structured forums, to hear their views about their experiences in the online world.

What we heard:

• Young people consistently reported exposure to harmful and inappropriate content, often unintentionally, alongside concerns about cyberbullying, misuse of AI, and weak platform moderation.

• Survey findings showed nuanced views on policy interventions: while most pupils opposed an outright ban on social media for under 16s, there was strong support for stronger platform regulation, clearer accountability, and improved reporting mechanisms.

• Pupils also highlighted the need for better digital literacy and education, not only for young people but also for parents, carers and teachers, to support safer online behaviours.

2.9 International engagement

Ministers and DSIT officials also engaged with several international partners to inform the UK’s understanding of approaches being taken or considered elsewhere. Minister Narayan visited Australia to learn from their experience of implementing a social media age restriction.

Case study 13: Minister Narayan’s visit to Australia

During his visit to Australia, Minister Narayan met with Australian ministers, the eSafety Commissioner, civil society and young people, and the visit formed part of the UK’s work to understand how different interventions may operate in practice. He joined a youth engagement session at New South Wales Parliament House, hosted by Hugh McDermott MP, Parliamentary Secretary to the Attorney General. He heard directly from students at Greystanes High School in Western Sydney about the impact of Australia’s Social Media Minimum Age obligation.

What we heard:

• Regulators and legislators reinforced the need to combine regulation with education, media literacy and support for children, parents and carers.

2.10 Other outreach, including wider stakeholders bringing diverse perspectives

To increase the reach further, we shared survey links with over 1,000 organisations to disseminate across their networks, alongside an offer of further engagement. These included sporting organisations, library trusts, faith groups, county councils, organisations in the maritime and defence sectors, and cultural organisations such as local theatre groups, music groups and museum networks.

Case study 14: Reaching wider audiences through a range of organisations

• DSIT officials worked with a range of cultural and community organisations to extend the reach of the consultation and encourage participation from families and young people who might not otherwise engage.
• For example, the National Children’s Orchestra shared the consultation surveys with its mailing list of around 2,700 families, helping to broaden awareness and increase responses from young people and their parents.

List of organisations directly engaged with during the consultation:

a. Safety & harm reduction	5Rights; Ada Lovelace Institute; Brianna Ghey Legacy Project; Breck Foundation; Common Sense Media; Children’s Coalition for Online Safety; Jools’ Law; Health Professionals for Safer Screens; Internet Matters; IWF; Lucy Faithfull Foundation; Mental Health Foundation; Molly Rose Foundation; Olly’s Work; Samaritans; UK Safer Internet Centre; Delay Smartphones; Generation Focus; Safe Screens; One Collective Power; Phone Free Education; WiseUp.
b. Parents/carers & trusted networks	Mumsnet; Papaya Talks; ParentKind; Parent Zone; Family Online Safety Institute; Triple P UK; Smartphone Free Childhood.
c. Children & young people / lived experience	Action for Children; Alliance for Children; Anti-Bullying Alliance; BBC Newsround; Cadbury Heath Primary School; Council for Disabled Children; Childnet; Children’s Commissioner; Citadel Youth Centre; Everton FC in the Community; FlippGen; Marie Collins Foundation; National Children’s Bureau; NSPCC; Scouts UK; The Children’s Society; Youth Council UK
d. Education & youth practitioners	ADCS; Association of Colleges; ASCL; Attendance and Behaviour Hub Advisers; Community Union; Confederation of School Trusts; Early Years Alliance; First News; LGA; MAT CEOs; MILCOP / Scottish Media & Information Literacy Community of Practice; NAHT; NEU; Ofsted; Primary Headteacher Reference Group; School Library Association; Secondary Headteacher Reference Group; Support Staff Reference Group; Teacher Reference Group; National Association of Virtual School Heads; NASUWT; Hammersmith Academy; Cadbury Heath Primary School; All Saints Catholic College; ShoutOutUK; Sixth Form Colleges Association, Unite.
e. Industry / platforms & implementers	Amazon; Apple; Discord; eBay; Etsy; GenDigital / Norton Security; Google / YouTube; Kape Technology; Middle Tech Coalition; Meta; Microsoft; NordVPN; OpenAI; ProtonVPN; Reddit; Roblox; ScrollAware; Skyscanner; Snap; Sony Interactive Entertainment / PlayStation; techUK; Tencent; TikTok; Twitch; UKIE; Vinted; Wikimedia; xAI / X
f. Vulnerable / marginalised groups	Black Prince Trust; BYTES; Carers Trust; Electric Storm; Essex Youth Service; National Youth Agency; Space Youth Service; Spectrum Gaming; VICTA
g. Other	Expert Advisory Panel; Impress; Northern Ireland Executive; Welsh Government; Scottish Government, National Crime Agency; Home Office; National Police Chiefs’ Council, DfE; DCMS; DHSC; DBT; HMT; Bird & Bird; National Preparedness Commission.; Dr Yvonne Skipper (University of Glasgow); Dr Franco Polizzi (University of Birmingham).
h. International	Australian eSafety Commissioner; Australian Federal Police Commissioner; Australian Government; Australian Information Commissioner’s Office; eSafety Commissioner’s Youth Council; EU Commission; International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children; New South Wales Parliament; New Zealand Department of International Affairs; Norwegian Government; Spanish Government; US Government