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Original poster

Your thoughts on banning social media for under 16s

89 replies

OnNaturesCourse · 13/12/2024 11:32

A topic I've been hearing a lot about on the news lately and it's got me thinking.

How do you feel about a possible ban on social media for under 16s?

(I know it has been said it won't be happening in the UK now but I found the topic thought provoking...)

YABU - it's a silly idea
YANBU - it's NOT a silly idea.

OP posts:
VelvetWildflower · 13/12/2024 11:47

It's a great idea but not workable in practice. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok etc is already 13+ and to bypass it you just put in a different birth year. There are no other checks because how can there be on someone legally a child without ID?

That then begs the question that to create an online social media profile you'd need to show your government ID and have that linked to your real life name, address etc which most adults would not support.

So, as always, it's on the parents and so far, so shitshow on that one.

Avatartar · 13/12/2024 11:46

I’m all for it

browniemincepie · 13/12/2024 11:45

I agree there are myriad problems but really, doing nothing when there is clear harm is not acceptable to me. Have you talked to a girl between 10-16 recently? They are being heavily marketed to on SM by same age influencers, it's grim and uncontrolled.

Branster · 13/12/2024 11:44

They should have never had access to SM in the first place.
I'm all for it but I can't see how it can be implemented.
Kids are smart, they'd find a workaround for everything to do with computers.
And also how could this apply to all countries? Because I think it's easy enough to pretend you log in from a different location?
I would say they'd need a sanitised limited version to get used to the environment of social media and learn how to stay safe. A bit like learning to cross the road. As a child, You need to do it safely until you are trusted to do it alone.

loropianalover · 13/12/2024 11:42

I’m not for it personally. The true issue is the platforms and bad parenting, not the users at large. I also wonder about the implementation and what identification a teen will have to provide to META etc. in order to create an account when they turn 16.

There are arguments for it of course but I don’t think a blanket ban is particularly necessary. However I am interested for the results in years to come when teens get on socials for the first time at 16 and what they choose to use their accounts for.

BlackChunkyBoots · 13/12/2024 11:42

There's always a way round it like putting in a fake date of birth. Pointless really.

toastofthetown · 13/12/2024 11:42

I don’t understand how it would work in practice. Would everyone be required to sign up with their government ID to verify their age for social media? Personally I wouldn’t trust Meta with that. And surely there are very easy workarounds such as VPNs or using a proxy server to get around bans if teens want to.

There are real harms with teens and social media but I haven’t seen a realistic way to age restrict it yet.

HighlandCowbag · 13/12/2024 11:42

I think that lets the platforms off the hook tbh. If under 16s aren't legally allowed on, then social media platforms don't have to manage content. It will only work if you have to start providing ID to sign up.

OrwellianTimes · 13/12/2024 11:40

It’s a brilliant idea. Hard to make the change, but it would be so good if we could.

W0tnow · 13/12/2024 11:40

I’m for it. Difficult to enforce. Still for it.

widebrimmedhatstand · 13/12/2024 11:39

I'm delighted.

browniemincepie · 13/12/2024 11:38

Should've been done 15 years ago.

AnneLovesGilbert · 13/12/2024 11:34

It’s very sensible.

Onand · 13/12/2024 11:33

It’s a great idea.

Sadly though, there’s a whole generation now ruined because of social media.