Stacey Solomon has expressed her relief and joy after the Prime Minister announced a ban on social media access for children under the age of 16. The news, delivered by Sir Keir Starmer this morning, has been met with mixed reactions across the UK, but the Sort Your Life Out star is thrilled.
Stacey Solomon's Reaction
The 36-year-old TV personality, who rose to fame on The X Factor, has been a vocal advocate for limiting children's social media use. She has five children: Zachary, 18, Leighton, 14, and Rex, six, Rose, four, and Belle, three, whom she shares with Joe Swash. Stacey has always been open about her concerns regarding the harmful content available on social media platforms.
Taking to Instagram, Stacey shared a video thanking her followers for their support. She said: "Good morning, happy Monday everyone. I have been backwards and forwards from the Lake District this weekend and today I’m in Manchester doing the warehouse for one of our Sort Your Life Out families. I've been literally sat glued to the telly watching the news and the Prime Minister bringing the ban for under 16s on social media and I just thought oh my god finally."
Gratitude to Campaigners
Stacey expressed her gratitude to those who signed petitions and campaigned for the ban. She added: "I just thought I’d come on here and say to anyone who signed that petition that I shared the other day or any petition or has made any noise around this whatsoever, thank you and a massive well done. I know we don’t know what the ban looks like or how it’ll be enforced or any of those details yet. But even the Prime Minister acknowledging it and bringing it forward and making steps to make it happen is incredible."
The TV star also revealed a coincidental meeting with families who have lost children to online dangers. She said: "Last night when I got into my hotel I had met some of the families who were on the news this morning just by coincidence because they’re staying up here. Just by coincidence I got to meet them. So I had no idea they were going to be here. One of the mums just came up to me at reception and let me know and I was like oh my gosh. They’ve been through the unimaginable they’ve lost their children to things that they have been subject to and seen online and I’m so relieved that something is finally happening and they’ve campaigned so hard and so long for this and I’m grateful to them because I’ve got three young little ones."
Concerns for Her Children
Stacey admitted that her older children missed the worst of social media, but she worries deeply about her younger ones. She said: "My teenagers kind of missed it and social media wasn’t as prevalent when they were growing up as it is now. I worry so much about Rex, Rose and Belle and I’m so grateful to those families who have been through the absolute worst thing in the world and have still campaigned and fought for other children. Hopefully there will be a massive change and will help the next generations to come. So yeah I just wanted to say thank you to anyone who supported it and thank you most of all to those mums and dads."
