MacAlister is behind the safer phones bill, a private member’s bill set to be discussed in the House of Commons this week, which has been backed by former children’s minister Conservative MP Kit Malthouse and education committee chair Helen Hayes.
The bill would see the age of "internet adulthood" raised from 13 to 16. This would mean under-16s would need a parent or legal guardian's permission to use social apps like TikTok and Instagram.
It would also ban such companies from harvesting the data of under-16s meaning they would not be targeted by content farmed out to users by personalised algorithms designed to keep them on specific sites and apps.
Another key factor of the bill would be to make phone bans in schools a legal requirement by making existing guidance a statutory duty for school leaders.
It would also give Ofcom a specific mandate to protect children’s interests and commit to a review about the sale of mobile phones to under-16s and how the technology could be adapted to keep children safer.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting praised the plans, writing on X: “Given the impact of smartphone use and addiction on the mental health of children and young people and the concerns from parents, this is a really timely debate.”
MacAlister is set to meet Technology Secretary Peter Kyle this week to discuss potential government backing for measures in the bill.
A government spokesperson said: “We all want to find the best way of ensuring children are kept safe while also benefiting from the latest digital technology.
“The Online Safety Act will introduce strong safeguards for children, preventing them from accessing harmful and age-inappropriate content. This will include requiring companies to check the age of children so that parents can have peace of mind about the safety of their children online.
“The vast majority of schools already handle the use of mobile phones effectively, including with bans. Legislating for an outright ban would simply remove the autonomy from school leaders who know their pupils and their communities best.”
MacAlister was elected as MP for Whitehaven and Workington in May and was previously chair of Foundations, the What Works Centre for Children and Families.
Before chairing the Care Review, he was chief executive of social work training charity Frontline and a former teacher.
