Members of Parliament have rejected a proposed ban that would have prohibited children under 16 from accessing social media platforms.

The House of Lords had previously backed the measure in January, supporting a move to ban under-16s in the UK from using social media platforms as part of efforts to improve online safety for children.

The proposed restriction was part of broader discussions about protecting young people from potential harms associated with social media use. Supporters of the ban argued that limiting access would help safeguard children's wellbeing and development.

Instead of implementing the blanket ban, MPs appear to have favored maintaining more flexible regulatory powers to address online safety concerns. The rejection suggests lawmakers prefer alternative approaches to protecting children online rather than age-based platform restrictions.

The decision comes amid ongoing debates about how best to regulate social media platforms and protect young users from potential negative impacts while balancing concerns about digital access and parental authority over children's internet use.