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His warning comes ahead of the implementation of the much-vaunted Online Safety Act (OSA), which will take effect in the coming weeks, and which aims to make the online ecosystem far safer for the UK’s young people.

Andy Lulham, COO at the online safeguarding firm Verifymy, comments on Kyle’s announcement below. Discussing why the secretary of state has made this claim, how it links into the wider OSA implementation period, and what social media firms can do to ensure they are compliant with upcoming requirements.

“We should tentatively welcome Peter Kyle’s comment that a blanket social media ban for under 16s is ‘on the table’ as it shows how seriously this government is approaching the issue of online safety.

“Social media is in the spotlight globally as concerns rise about its potential negative impact on young people, and we’ve already seen the Australian government move towards implementing a similar ban for under 16s.

“However, whilst we support keeping children safe, there are better ways of doing so whilst also not stifling the educational, social and community benefits that social media can bring to teenagers. Instead of an outright ban, technology exists to frictionlessly and accurately complete age checks and allow platforms to deliver age-appropriate experiences instead.

“Ultimately Kyle’s comments fit into a wider narrative around social media firms’ readiness to take steps that are robust enough to ensure they are compliant with the UK’s Online Safety Act (OSA), which will start to be enforced early next year. And the potential penalties that will be put in place if they are not.

"The OSA is a hugely important opportunity to make the internet safer and technology companies and social media firms should take proactive steps to ensure they are ready for its implementation. This includes having robust, privacy preserving age assurance and content moderation tools in place that will keep our young people safe online."