Teenagers in Britain are expressing mixed feelings about social media as the government considers restrictions similar to Australia’s ban for users under 16.
The UK government has launched a public consultation on potential limits for young users, amid growing concerns about the impact of social media on children’s mental health and safety. The consultation will run until May and invites views from the public, including young people.
Many teenagers acknowledge the negative effects of social media but say banning it is not the solution.
Students aged 16 to 18 at a school in south London told reporters that apps such as TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat are central to their daily lives, helping them socialise, build friendships and learn about the world.
However, they also admitted the platforms can be addictive. Some said they spend hours scrolling through content each day.
One 17-year-old student said he used to spend up to eight hours a day on TikTok during the summer, though he has since reduced his usage to about three or four hours. Others described the phenomenon of “doom scrolling,” where users endlessly browse content, often encountering harmful or disturbing material.
Social media companies say they have introduced safety measures for younger users. Snapchat, for example, applies privacy protections for users aged 13 to 17, while Instagram offers teen accounts with controls for sensitive content and parental supervision tools. TikTok says teenage accounts have a default screen-time limit of 60 minutes and prompts encouraging users to stop using the app late at night.
Despite these measures, several teenagers said it was easy to bypass the restrictions.
Some young people also raised concerns about negative effects, including online bullying, harmful body-image content and exposure to distressing videos.
Experts say the debate over banning social media is complex. Researchers note that while some teenagers face serious risks online, social platforms can also provide valuable opportunities for communication, creativity and self-expression.
Studies also suggest bans may be difficult to enforce. Data from Australia indicated that many teenagers continued to access social media even after restrictions were introduced.
Some British students said a ban could push young people toward less regulated spaces on the internet or lead them to use tools such as virtual private networks to bypass restrictions.
Specialists in child online safety argue that governments should focus more on forcing technology companies to design safer platforms rather than imposing outright bans.
They say policymakers must balance protecting young people from harm while allowing them access to the digital spaces that play a significant role in modern social life. 📱