Discussion

• @lozzafox Laurence Fox on x

  Children do spend too much time online. Phones are dreadful in many ways. No wonder the billionaires who unleashed them on the world don't let their children anywhere near them. But this is definitely a case of better the devil you know. If you think that this has anything to do

• @albomp Anthony Albanese on x

  Congratulations on taking this important step, Prime Minister @Keir_Starmer. Social media giants operate across borders. By standing together, we can do more to hold them accountable and keep children safe online.

• @nigel_farage Nigel Farage MP on x

  Whilst the social media ban is well-intentioned, it's unlikely to work given the mass adoption of VPNs. It will also mean the introduction of Digital ID via the back door. The real answer here is handsets for children with limited features.

• @10downingstreet @10downingstreet on x

  We are giving children their childhoods back. Social media platforms will be blocked from offering services to under 16s. We're setting a new normal for future generations and empowering parents who just want to do their best for their kids. [image]

• @fsuofaustralia @fsuofaustralia on x

  Australia hasn't managed this. It is unclear how the UK can do this either. Unless they are going to ban kids from the internet, kids will be on social media. Just on more dangerous platforms.

• @carolecadwalla Carole Cadwalladr on x

  Children have utterly let down to date. But what does a ‘social media ban’ actually mean? Is this really age verification for all? And what does that entail? Because on the surface this looks like rushed populist techsolutionism that will hand *more* power to the platforms. 1/

• @landeur @landeur on x

  They don't care about kids. They just want to force you to tie your passport to your social media so that they can arrest you for mean tweets.

• @narindertweets Narinder Kaur on x

  It beggars belief that anyone with kids thinks this a bad idea somehow! You either care about children's safety or you don't. My only gripe is that I feel strongly that platforms should be built with a safety-by-design and not feature harmful content in the first place... the

• @mcrreiners Michael Reiners on x

  You just successfully introduced digital ID as a mandatory requirement for every internet user in the UK and her territories. In reality, the solution was not this - it was having the family computer in the living room or the kitchen, and giving your child a nokia, rather than

• @keir_starmer Keir Starmer on x

  We are banning social media access for under 16s. These days kids must find their feet in a world where technology intrudes into every area of their life. I just can't let that go on anymore. So we're giving children their childhoods back. [video]

• @s8mb Sam Bowman on x

  The internet is good, social media is a large part of the internet, and I resent the government making decisions about what my children can access instead of me.

• @kemibadenoch Kemi Badenoch on x

  It is fantastic news that the Government has finally woken up to the dangers of social media for young people. This is an important step in helping parents protect childhood for children. Huge credit goes to @LauraTrottMP and my Shadow Cabinet for relentlessly fighting for [video…

• @ednewtonrex Ed Newton-Rex on x

  As someone who used to work at TikTok, I cannot stress enough how much this is the right call. Huge respect to Starmer and @UKLabour for banning social media for U16s.

• @wesstreeting Wes Streeting on x

  Huge congratulations to all those who campaigned for action on social media to protect children - both outside and inside Parliament. This wouldn't have happened without you.

• @pippacrerar Pippa Crerar on x

  Keir Starmer says government will legislate for under 16s social media ban by Christmas and bring it in by early Spring next year. PM says there will be some exceptions like YouTube Kids, Lego Play, classroom Google which are “clearly the other side of the line”.

• @rupertlowe10 Rupert Lowe MP on x

  A Restore Britain Government will repeal Starmer's social media ban and let parents parent.

• @derekmross Derek Ross on x

  youths in the UK are about to discover decentralized and censorship resistant communication: nostr. if you're from the UK and want to be social with your friends, here's a fun little note: China banned several nostr apps and servers 3 years ago. those users are STILL using

• @colinmurray Colin Murray on bluesky

  The new U16 social media ban announcement is such a mess that I half wonder whether it's been rushed out to distract from a coming adverse judgment, tempered by the fear that Govt might simply be emboldened by a favorable judgment to lean into restricting expression more:  —  www…

• @laurapurkess Laura Purkess on bluesky

  This is excellent news.  YouTube Kids is an absolute menace - mindless scrolling aside, why the hell are 4 year olds being served adverts?! www.gov.uk/government/n...

• @neverevertory @neverevertory on bluesky

  The government plans to use the same model for a social media ban as Australia.  —  The ban will include platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook & X.  —  Messaging services like WhatsApp & Signal will not be included in the social media ban.

• @rachelcoldicutt Rachel Coldicutt on bluesky

  What if Ofcom's rapid evidence study concludes the only way to tell if someone is over 16 is by every adult verifying their age?  What then? www.gov.uk/government/n...  [image]

• @heatherburnstech Heather Burns on bluesky

  Official gov statement with details is now up  —  www.gov.uk/government/n...  “We do not intend for messaging services like WhatsApp and Signal to be included in the social media ban.”

• r/ukpolitics r on reddit

  Social media to be banned for under-16s in landmark government move to give kids their childhood back

• r/worldnews r on reddit

  Social media to be banned for under-16s in landmark government move to give kids their childhood back

• @neil@mastodon.neilzone.co.uk Neil Brown on mastodon

  And here's the official announcement of age verification coming to everyone in the UK who wishes to use “social media”:  —  > Social media to be banned for under-16s in landmark government move to give kids their childhood back  —  https://www.gov.uk/...  #OnlineSafetyAct

• @scottygb Scott Bryan on x

  BBC: “What was your screen time?” Student: “Nine hours.” BBC: “You're gong to have a lot more time to fill. What will you do?” Student: “Stare at a wall.” [video]

• r/SmoshFansFreeSpace r on reddit

  Under-16s to be banned from TikTok, YouTube and other social media by next spring, Starmer says

• r/RepealOnlineSafetyAct r on reddit

  Unfortunately, the UK government decided to ban under-16s from social media

• r/UKTechNews r on reddit

  Social media to be banned for under-16s in landmark government move to give kids their childhood back

• Lord Bethell Lord Bethell on linkedin

  What a momentous day.  Huge respect to all those who pushed so hard to make this happen.  —  This is not just a victory for those protecting …

• John Withers John Withers on linkedin

  Good news today (for me as a parent at least).  The UK government has announced plans to ban social media for under-16s, with legislation expected to come into force in Spring 2027. …

• r/technology r on reddit

  UK to ban under-16s from social media, with age checks likely built on digital ID and face scans; 438 researchers call for a moratorium

• @gergelyorosz Gergely Orosz on x

  I have kids who are close to being teens and I support this move by the UK, and wish more countries would follow. Social media, IAP games, and many others are full of dark and addictive patterns - and private companies have zero incentive to be considerate for kids' development

• @hankgreen Hank Green on x

  Do I think YouTube could handle it's responsibility to kids better? Of course. Do I think they could create their product more for family utility and less for holding attention. Absolutely! Does this help with any of that? No, it does the opposite.

• @hankgreen Hank Green on x

  Banning under-16s from YouTube mostly means banning them from logging in, which means YouTube will treat them less like kids and more like anonymous adults. Great job, UK.

• @emmanuelmacron Emmanuel Macron on x

  ✅ Thanks for joining the movement.

• @cyberleagle Graham Smith on bluesky

  Do I sense that they are struggling to come up with a workable definition of which platforms are in or out? www.gov.uk/government/n...  [image]

• r/TankieTheDeprogram r on reddit

  UKKK Introduces Full Social Media Ban For Under 16s - Including Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X.

• @keir_starmer Keir Starmer on x

  I am simply not prepared to be a bystander when the safety and happiness of our children are at stake. We will ban social media access for under 16s, and give children their childhoods back. Read more about it here: https://keirstarmer.substack.com/ ... [image]

• @taylorlorenz Taylor Lorenz on x

  Very funny to see these people be like “no we just need more mass censorship instead of mass surveillance.” Actually we shouldn't have either!! Asking Meta to censor all content that could be “harmful” to children doesn't do shit to crack down on big tech. It's just censorship

• @matthewdmarsden Matthew Marsden on x

  The people who are cheering on the social media banning the UK clearly have no idea what is going on there. As a father, I agree that social media is toxic for kids. It's actually toxic for most adults, but if you think that a government who has imprisoned adults for social

• @carolecadwalla Carole Cadwalladr on x

  @signalapp Do you want Elon to have a copy of your biometrics? Do you want Zuck to scan your face? That's what we will all be doing. This isn't reigning in Silicon Valley power. It's gifting them even more power. Of course, parents want these companies safe and regulated but that…

• @martyrdison Mads Campbell on x

  look, i agree that a lot of social media is bad for young people when i have children, i want them reading literature, exploring outdoors, building things, and having the kinds of experiences that actually shape who they become but by the time i was 16, a huge amount of my

• @stephenpollard Stephen Pollard on x

  The social media ban is the perfect example of idiotic policy being implemented because it is ‘popular’. So much wrong with it that's already been well highlighted, but here's my own personal objection. My son is obsessed with classical music. He is a gifted cellist who wants to

• @kevinhollinrake Kevin Hollinrake MP on x

  The government has finally U-turned and announced a ban on social media for under-16s. About time. This victory belongs to the brave families and campaigners who never stopped fighting to protect our children from the harms of social media. I'm proud to have stood alongside them …

• @suellabraverman Suella Braverman on x

  The social media ban won't work. Children will still be exposed. Online paedophiles will still be able to target kids. We all want kids to be safe online but those who say this is a solution are gaslighting the British people. Don't fall for it.

• @nadiawhittomemp Nadia Whittome MP on x

  I have been contacted by many constituents about the harm caused to children by social media - from viewing inappropriate content and the risk of grooming, to bullying and the impact on mental health. I share these concerns, but I worry that a blanket social media ban for

• @msmelchen Melissa Chen on x

  Under the pretext of banning under-16s from social media to “protect the children,” Keir Starmer has snuck in some small print that should make Americans really glad that all the tea was dumped into the Boston harbour back in 1773. Adults will still be “allowed” to use the

• @jonhaidt Jonathan Haidt on x

  On this day when the UK Government announces it is raising the age for opening social media accounts, it may be helpful to restate the evidence of harm. There are seven different lines, only two of which are correlational: https://www.afterbabel.com/...

• @juliahb1 Julia Hartley-Brewer on x

  I say this as a parent who is genuinely in two minds on a social media ban because the risks to our kids are clear but the solutions aren't. Starmer's announcement is clearly a knee jerk attempt to do something popular as his authority crumbles. That's a dangerous background for

• @jonhaidt Jonathan Haidt on x

  Well done, UK Govt; well done PM Starmer. UK Parents love the policy, and the evidence keeps mounting that heavy social media use causes a variety of harms. See 7 lines of evidence laid out here: https://www.afterbabel.com/...

• @zatzi Annunziata Rees-Mogg on x

  We are ruled by idiots. Do they not know every 15 year old revises GCSE's on YouTube? Do they not know that teenagers track their friends are home safely on SnapChat? Do they not realise that - especially in rural areas with no transport - teenagers social lives are on...

• @mayoroflondon @mayoroflondon on x

  A ban on social media for under-16s is the right step to protect young people and one I've called for. But bans only treat the symptom, not the problem. Social media companies need to re-imagine their platforms so they can offer a safe and healthy environment for all users,

• @kirstiemallsopp Kirstie Allsopp on x

  It is understandable that some people feel that an outright ban on social media for kids under 16 let's big tech of the hook. But it does two things 1. The message is sent Social Media damages kids 2. We haven't got time to wait for Meta et al to grow a social conscience.

• @timsweeneyepic Tim Sweeney on x

  How about zero? Meta's strategy for ever growing state mandated privacy invasion is to try to shove the surveillance obligations off on Apple and Google. How about sticking up for citizens' rights instead?

• @icklenellierose Ellen Rose on bluesky

  Simply banning kids from social media, rather than enforcing sensible age-gating on certain sites and encouraging safer places for kids to go (a la Club Penguin, Habbo Hotel, NeoPets, etc.), is such a disservice to kids and gives a false sense of security to parents.  —  Don't ba…

• @dhothersall Duncan Hothersall on bluesky

  Joining the chorus of disapproval for the under-16s social media ban.  There *is* unhealthy usage and ill-effects in this age group, but this is the equivalent of dealing with school shootings by banning children from schools.  Fix the platforms.  They are poisoning *everyone*'s …

• @benansell Ben Ansell on bluesky

  Merits of the under 16 ban aside, I still can't believe that the plans to introduce a social media curfew for 16-17 year olds.  At the risk of sounding ancient, at that age I was out at clubs & gigs in London and driving like a lunatic around Kent.  And Starmer would stop my kid …

• @lauratrottmp Laura Trott MP on x

  I've long fought for this as it's the right thing to do. As Conservatives, we've always believed in safeguarding children. Adults should be free, but we must protect childhood.

• @elonmusk Elon Musk on x

  This censorship law is a wolf in sheep's clothing. The real goal is to enable the UK government to track everyone.

• @lauratrottmp Laura Trott MP on x

  I'm so delighted by this news. It won't be perfect, but it marks an important cultural shift and sends a clear signal about what is and isn't safe for children. Conservatives in opposition are making a real difference, and children across the UK will be safer because of it.

• @yacinemtb Kache on x

  The funny side effect of this will be all sub 16 year olds will hang out on 4chan because it's the only social media website that's a accountless

• @durov Pavel Durov on x

  Banning social media for teenagers only puts them in greater danger. Teens are forced to switch to VPNs — and unlock far worse illegal content. We've seen this before. When the Russian government banned Telegram, 95% of Russian teenagers kept using it. They just moved to VPNs.

• @walkermarcus Marcus Walker on x

  It is literally insane simultaneously to think that 16 and 17 year olds are mature enough to vote but not mature enough to look at Instagram at 8:30pm. This is comically absurd.

• @mattlcapon Matt Capon on x

  I've been going through the details @10DowningStreet has published on the social media ban, and one question keeps coming back to me about the proposed curfew. If 16 and 17-year-olds are prevented from accessing social media after a certain time, does the behaviour actually stop,

• @senatorshoshana @senatorshoshana on x

  1) Apple device face scans STAY ON DEVICE. These do not. I also refuse to use my own biometrics for my devices. 2) The backup method is government IDs. This will be necessary in many millions of instances bc facial age estimation is notoriously often wrong. In some cases it

• @mollyroseorg @mollyroseorg on x

  The prime minister has abdicated responsibility for product safety, and has failed to put forward a plan for tackling the algorithms that cost Molly's life and, tragically, will cost many more. https://www.theguardian.com/ ...

• @suellabraverman Suella Braverman on x

  We all want to keep kids safe online. But the government's plans will only make things worse for everyone without protecting children- the worst of both worlds. I was one of the few MPs to challenge the uniparty groupthink in Parliament. There is a better way to protect [video]

• @gralefrit Joel Morris on bluesky

  Don't ban kids using YouTube.  —  Make YouTube behave like a broadcaster.  —  Pay creators.  Reinvest in the creative industries.  Pay fair tax back into creators' economies.  Follow guidelines on fair usage and copyright.  Play fair.  —  It's bigger than TV now.  Make it behave …

• @senatorshoshana @senatorshoshana on x

  Social media isn't just Twitter and Instagram. it's also AllTrails, GitHub, StackOverflow, Reddits for medical conditions and specialized medical forums. Many of these benefitted me greatly as a teen and I hate to see teens get shut out

• @senatorshoshana @senatorshoshana on x

  The UK social media ban for minors also stresses that strangers must not be allowed to contact minors. Also looks like the regulations on which are covered and how aren't set. This would make platforms like coding and medical forums completely unusable for minors

• @peterrhague Peter Hague on x

  When I went to my son's primary school e-safety meeting, the primary app they were concerned about was WhatsApp. Not YouTube

• @jsrailton John Scott-Railton on x

  The ban will fail. But the privacy loss will be permanent. Long after UK teens have bypassed it (just as Australian kids did, by the way)... ...the British will be stuck self-doxxing to surveillance gatekeepers to use the internet. Embarrassing legacy for Starmer, who should [ima…

• @tomhfh Tom Harwood on x

  Including YouTube in the list of banned ‘social media’ websites is going to be the governments biggest single own goal. More people watch YouTube than the BBC.