UK social media ban for under-16s goes beyond child protection

social media ban for under-16s goes beyond child protection">

My 12-year-old son's reaction to the UK's social media ban for under-16s was telling: 'Everyone's really upset mum - loads of them have got their own YouTube channels.' His comment highlights the challenges of enforcing such a ban, especially when many young people have already found ways to circumvent age restrictions. The proposed ban, which could come into force in 2027, aims to protect children from online harms, but its implications extend far beyond child protection. The exact logistics of the ban have yet to be set out, but it's likely that millions of users will have to share official ID, including their date of birth, to access various platforms.

Campaigners, including bereaved parents who say their children died as a result of social media harms, have broadly welcomed the ban. However, others argue that it amounts to a profound reshaping of how young people accumulate knowledge and how the rest of us move around online. The ban could have significant impacts on education.

Dr. Tom Crawford, a YouTube personality with 250,000 subscribers, says, 'YouTube is where we all go to learn.' He argues that the ban will deprive young people of a valuable resource for acquiring knowledge. There are also concerns about civil liberties and government overreach.

Paddy Crump, campaigns director at Flippgen, notes that young people will likely find ways to circumvent the ban, and that it may push their online behavior to smaller, less regulated platforms. Ari Lightman, professor of digital media and marketing at Carnegie Mellon University, warns that these platforms can be 'pretty dangerous' for children and teens. Crump argues that the ban offers 'false hope dressed up as protection' and will simply shift young people's online behavior elsewhere.

The ban could also have unintended side-effects, such as making young people less likely to seek support for online harms or isolating them from communities and information. Some parents with SEND children say social media and watching videos are their primary ways of engaging with the world. An online e-petition has gained over 100,000 signatories in a few days, with many arguing that social media is a lifeline for young people.

Home education message boards are also lighting up with parents concerned about navigating the ban while teaching their children. Dr. Crawford notes that YouTube has become a crucial resource for learning, and that the ban will take away young people's ability to learn.

He cites his own experience of learning to tie a bow tie by watching a YouTube tutorial. Industry sources argue that technically, it's not simple to set up alternative solutions. Education secretary Bridget Phillipson suggests that tech companies could come up with intermediate options, but it's unclear how this would work.