Sheffield MP Miriam Cates suggests smartphones and social media ban for under-16s

Smartphones and social media should be banned for all children under-16 to combat a rise in "children addicted to pornography", Conservative MP Miriam Cates has said.

The MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge claimed there had been a rise in "poor teen mental health, teen suicide attempts" and "children addicted to pornography" since 2010, in a question to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during PMQs in the House of Commons on January 24.

Mr Sunak responded: "[Mrs Cates] is absolutely right to highlight the impact of what happens online on our children.

"That's why our Online Safety Act tackles both criminal activity online and protects children from harmful or inappropriate content such as bullying or the promotion of self-harm and accessing pornography and also exposure to eating disorders."

The Prime Minister stated Ofcom were working on guidance on how social media companies will "meet their duties" - adding the regulator will be able to impose fines of up to 10 per cent of global turnover, if social media firms don't "clean up their act".

Mrs Cates has built a reputation amongst the right of the Conservative Party as one of its rising stars, co-founding one of the right-wing "families" of the party - the 'New Conservatives' - which aim to wield influence over the Prime Minister.

In December 2023, the Parliamentary Standards Watchdog revealed Mrs Cates was under investigation over claims she had caused "significant damage to the reputation" of the House of Commons.

The exact details of any allegations investigated by the Standards Commissioner - Daniel Greenberg - are kept confidential until the inquiry is closed. Those under investigation are also barred from discussing allegations.