24 June 2026

The UK Government is going to ban the use of social media platforms like Snapchat, Tik Tok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X for under sixteen year olds. Apparently, an overwhelming majority of parents and a significant majority of young people approve. It will begin in April 2027.

There are four problems with the ban. Firstly, it doesn’t challenge the tech companies who have created  these platforms with their harmful content and their addictive design. It is the young people who are deprived of the technology because it hasn’t been created in a humane way.

Secondly, in depriving young people of their interaction on social media, what is being substituted in its place? Our society does not make enough provision for young people to meet together, to interact in safe places and to enjoy enriching recreational activities. Youth organisations find it difficult to recruit leaders.

Thirdly, instead of shutting down this part of the internet and encouraging young people to explore other areas which may be more dangerous, would it not be better to educate young people in the dangers of the internet and to show them a better way to navigate  their way around.

Fourthly, as Bishop North from Blackburn said, ‘A ban is cheap and easy, but my fear  is that, rather than making a positive difference, it will simply feed the pandemic of youth loneliness.’ Social media connects young people with each other. What is going to replace this?

It is the tech companies which should be taken to task rather than young people. Why does the government allow these businesses to create such harmful ways of destroying mental health whilst at the same time making inordinate amounts of money?  They are powerful.  Children are not.