The Conservatives have suggested a plan to ban social media for children under 16 across the UK if they come into power. This follows a similar ban in Australia that came into law one month ago.
The proposed ban will reshape how children engage with the online world, alongside a plan to ban smartphones in schools. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch says that children need to be protected from the dark rabbit holes of social media, claiming that “freedom is for adults” only, and that children cannot manage their own social media use. She has pledged that, if her party wins the next general election, social media platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram would be legally required to block access for children under the age of 16. Supporters of the Tory proposal – including teacher’s unions like the NASUWT- Have called for the ban to become law and say that reducing teen exposure to social media could improve focus in schools and help combat rising levels of depression and anxiety linked to online use.
When talking to the BBC, Badenoch claimed the use of “addictive” social media apps “correlates quite strongly” with an increase in mental health issues among young people. But others would claim that wiping young people’s accounts across the board makes it harder for them to access mental health services in a crisis. The question of what platforms will and won’t come under the ban is still hanging in the air, and what will happen when new platforms are released.
Parents and young people who have experienced the ban in Australia expressed frustration with the new law, claiming that children found loopholes to regain access to their accounts within a day of the ban, or that young people over 16 were mistakenly banned from their accounts. There is further opposition to the ban as some are concerned about their online activity being tied to a form of ID, which is used in the age verification process.
On the other hand, UK primary school teachers have posted online about their delight with the proposed ban. There is a general agreement amongst teachers and parents alike that children are engaging in fewer hobbies, preferring to play with their smartphone. Attention spans have collapsed significantly, with the average human attention span dropping from 12 seconds in 2000 to 8.25 seconds in 2025.
Whether the ban will come into effect is yet to be seen with who wins the next general election, but many have high hopes for children to have a safer experience online.
