March 10 (UPI) -- British MPs defeated proposals to ban children younger than 16 from using social media after the House of Lords, the upper house, tacked the measure onto children's legislation it passed in January.
In a 307-173 vote, lawmakers rejected the amendment to the children's wellbeing and schools bill introduced by a Conservative peer, but restrictions could still materialize after the House of Commons agreed to grant extra powers to Science Secretary Liz Kendall.
Lord, John Nash, and supporters of a ban said parents were in "an impossible position" that made it extremely difficult to protect their children from being harmed online.
The opposition Conservatives called the situation an "emergency" that required the government to get a law on the books to safeguard children. They said surveys indicated 40% of children are shown explicit content on smartphones during school hours.
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