Pressure grows on No 10 as Burnham backs Tory call for under-16s social media ban

Kemi Badenoch also told the BBC that if elected, her party would ban smartphones in schools. Photograph: Jeff Overs/BBC/PA

No 10 is facing renewed pressure to ban social media for under-16s after the Conservatives and the Labour mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, supported limits to prevent harm to children.

The government is understood to have no plans for a “blanket ban” on social media use by under 16s. However, sources said it was closely monitoring the impact of moves taken to prevent children setting up accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube and Twitch.