<
https://www.techdirt.com/2026/07/13/the-uks-new-under-16-social-media-ban-will-cause-more-harm-than-it-prevents/>
"Recently, politicians in the UK pushed forward with plans to eviscerate
privacy and free speech on the internet by announcing a ban on social media for
users under 16 that is set to take effect in Spring 2027.
The UK government continues to falsely characterize this policy as a necessary
response to growing concerns about online harms for young people. In reality,
much like the
Online Safety Act, it will cause more harm than it will
prevent.
Users of all ages are burdened with proving their age before accessing content,
with social media platforms such as Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram,
Facebook, and X included in the ban. There remains no reliable,
privacy-preserving method of verifying the age of every internet user and
methods vary from one platform to the next.
Young people will not simply be protected from being contacted by adults or
endlessly scrolling—they’ll also lose access to educational videos on YouTube,
local events on Facebook, and potentially cut off from distant friends and
family.
Public policy must be effective, proportionate and respectful of fundamental
rights. Young people deserve better than a policy built on panic, and all
internet users deserve a safe and free internet. A social media ban generates
headlines, but it will not solve the problem."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
