Big news this morning – under 16s are to be banned from using social media, as announced by Prime Minister Keir Starmer. With them hoping to pass regulation before Christmas, the ban will supposedly come into place by Spring 2027.
He said that “A full ban is the right choice…” but is that the case? I’m not so sure. I think it sets a precedent where we are trying to completely control what kids do and perhaps in some way, how people parent their children.
There is no denying that many children use social media unwisely. Whether it is by consuming content not suitable for them or by bullying others, there are many who definitely should have their usage monitored. However there are also many that are sensible.
Our teen (14) has access to Tiktok and YouTube but does not have access to Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Discord or Twitch – as per our choice. We also use Family Link to monitor his apps and if he is using an app in the wrong way or spending excessive amounts of time on particular apps, we will block him from being able to use them.
What Platforms Will Be Affected?
The ban will cover:
- Snapchat
- Tiktok
- YouTube
- X
They will also be implementing measures on platforms that allow livestreaming to prevent children from being able to livestream.
AI chatbots will also not be available to or will have to restrict ‘intimate functionalities’ for under 18s.
Photo by Luke Porter on Unsplash
Will It Work?
According to the New York Times, the ban in Australia, a country which the UK is taking the lead from, is floundering.
Apparently many teens are already back on platforms they are supposed to be blocked from, with seven in 10 parents whose children already had an account saying that the teens were still on one of the age restricted services.
However for those that aren’t on socials yet, it may still be working as the parents can use the law as a reason to not download them.
What Do I Think?
I’m in two minds.
I believe that a ban could certainly be beneficial when it comes to consuming harmful content and preventing bullying. Too many teens use social medias like Snapchat to bully, knowing that it can quickly disappear and Snapchat aren’t the most helpful at helping authorities with their enquiries in bullying situations.
However I do also think that this ban sets a precedent that may be difficult to come back from. As parents, we shouldn’t be told how to parent and what our kids can do. Unfortunately there are far too many parents out there that barely parent at all or believe their kid can do no wrong and who do what they like on social media – that’s why this ban has come into place.
Then there are those of us who are responsible; monitor our children’s usage and don’t just let them sign up to any social media account; monitor what they do to make sure they aren’t consuming content that isn’t good for them or using their platform to be vile to someone else.
I think it is a tough one and it is going to be interesting to see how this works once the ban comes into place.
How about you?