A public consultation on restricting social media access for under-16s in the Isle of Man is unlikely to take place before this year's general election, the Chief Minister Alfred Cannan has confirmed.

Departing UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer recently announced in a landmark move that a social media ban for under-16s would come into force in spring 2027.

During Tuesday’s House of Keys sitting, Arbory, Castletown and Malew MHK Jason Moorhouse asked the Chief Minister what the government's position was on doing the same thing here in the island.

Mr Cannan committed to carrying out a public consultation before any changes were considered, saying that it would be important to gather the views of children, young people, parents and carers.

However, he acknowledged that such a consultation was unlikely to take place before September’s General Election.

‘Any local decision would need to be evidence-based, legally robust, proportionate and practically enforceable,’ the Chief Minister said.

‘The government recognises the potential harms posed by social media, particularly to children and young people, and has already taken proportionate and practical steps to reduce some of those risks.’

He pointed to the Department of Education, Sport and Culture's mobile phones and smart devices policy, introduced in January 2025, which aims to reduce disruption, bullying and other harms associated with mobile and online activity in schools while encouraging greater social interaction among pupils.

He also referenced the Sexual Offences and Obscene Publications Act 2021, which came fully into force in March 2024 and modernised offences relating to online harm, including image-based abuse, grooming and exploitation.

‘It is a potential route, should it be considered appropriate, to apply elements of the recently announced UK framework here,’ he added.

‘It is important that we actually see those regulations and understand how that would apply to the Isle of Man.’