Governments around the world are seeking to keep under-16s off platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. Australia has already introduced a ban, and now the UK is following suit. In a recent podcast, Stephen Byrne and Chris Stokel-Walker report on the issue.
Starmer's Announcement
Keir Starmer announced on Monday that he wanted to ban under-16s from social media, citing parents calling for more controls. However, children have different perspectives.
A Teen's View
“Snapchat, for example, is one of the best things that’s happened to me,” a 13-year-old tells Helen Pidd. “I don’t think adults understand, that is how we talk to our friends and fit in.”
Mixed Results in Australia
Guardian Australia’s executive producer, Stephen Byrne, notes the ban there has had mixed results, but many parents still support it. As a former YouTube star, he understands why children feel they would lose a valuable community if a ban is enacted in the UK. Yet he also believes something must be done to protect children.
Expert Criticism
Technology reporter Chris Stokel-Walker thinks the ban is ill-advised and a political move. He says the government is not waiting for evidence from its own study that would show what action best protects children. “I just think it’s a really poorly thought through solution,” he states.
Photograph: Anna Barclay/Getty Images
