UK plans social media ban for under-16s, but teens and experts question effectiveness

The United Kingdom is poised to ban social media access for individuals under 16, a move mirroring Australia's earlier restrictions and aiming to enhance child safety and well-being. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated the ban will grant children "more time, more safety, more freedom in growing up, more opportunities." The government anticipates that the measure will not only decrease the number of young users but also initiate a cultural shift towards different childhood experiences, though it acknowledges that some users will find ways around the restrictions.

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Our children will have more time, more safety, more freedom in growing up, more opportunities.

However, the proposed ban faces mixed reactions from teenagers themselves. Some express disagreement, questioning the blanket prohibition, while others suggest time limits might be more appropriate. One teen mused about spending more time outdoors, while another wryly commented, "I'll be staring at a wall." Despite these concerns, the initiative is viewed positively by many parents and educators.

Online child safety experts, however, caution that a complete ban may not be the most effective or sole solution. There is a concern that adolescents might migrate to less regulated online spaces, such as the dark web, to maintain peer connections. "There may be consequences we haven't foreseen," noted a professor from the University of East London.

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I thought they would give up and think longer about this ban, I don't agree with him.

In Serbia, the opposition Party of Freedom and Justice has called for the issue of child protection on social media to be addressed urgently in parliament. Party leader Dragan Đilas cited the UK's decision as evidence that "serious countries understand that this is one of the most important topics of today."

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I think they shouldn't have banned everything, but somehow limited the time.

Meanwhile, data from Australia suggests that many teenagers are finding ways to bypass social media restrictions. One anecdote describes a teen using her older sister's face for verification, while another used a picture of Michael Jackson. Journalist Danica Ilić suggests that the focus should be on the root cause: profit-driven Silicon Valley corporations, arguing that "this is not working, as we have seen from the example of Australia... The cause is what needs to be targeted, if it's not too late now."

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I'll probably go outside, play football, simply be outside instead of in front of the screen.