Sir Keir Starmer is coming under mounting pressure to approve a social media ban for under-16s, as MPs warn that young people are being dangerously exposed to violent and sexual content online.
Momentum for the Australia-style ban grew last month after the House of Lords backed the move in a vote. That result came despite the prime minister’s efforts to head off what was shaping up to be a government defeat by launching a consultation on potential restrictions.
In a bid to further reassure peers, education minister Baroness Smith of Malvern said the government would bring forward an amendment that would allow the government to enact the outcome of the consultation without the need for a standalone law.
Labour MPs say that they have had a huge response from their constituents on the issue, with much of it backing a ban. A number of backbenchers told The Independent they would like to see movement on restricting social media to young people in the King’s Speech expected in May, which sets out the government’s legislative priorities for the year ahead.
But while politicians, parents, teachers and campaigners argue over the merits of a ban, The Independent heard from three 16-year-olds who know firsthand what it is like to grow up in the world of social media.
Gabriel Lam, a founder of student-led campaign group Vote16, backs a social media ban, as he warns of the violent and harmful content that young people are being exposed to online.
While the 16-year-old acknowledges that social media can also be a force for good, he argues that children should not have unrestricted access.
Gabriel believes a phased approach, barring under-13s entirely and allowing tightly regulated use for those aged 13 to 16, would be the best way to do it.
He said: “I think why this ban is actually so important is that we don’t actually know the negative long-term effects of social media.
“Things like cigarettes, alcohol and films, they’re restricted to certain age groups because we know them to be dangerous, and every other product that children can use has been rigorously safety tested to prove that it’s safe.
“Social media is the only product that has not gone through the rigour of safety testing to prove that it’s safe for young people.”
As the government consults on a potential ban, he says it should also be holding tech companies to account and taking steps to make platforms safer in the meantime.
“They could certainly be standing up to big tech companies in different ways. Instead of just the blanket ban on social media, they could be looking to regulate the algorithms used on social media.”
Jessica Morris, 16, lives in rural Scotland, with no one her age nearby. For her, social media is not optional, but the only link to people outside of her family.
“It’s a part of my everyday life,” she says. “Social media is the only way I communicate with my friends online. Even if I were to be making plans and going out, I wouldn’t be able to do that.
“I could meet them at school. But at the same time, school isn’t really a social event… So really, social media is the only way that I can talk to people.”
Jessica fears that teenagers would simply bypass restrictions, pushing them towards more dangerous and unregulated platforms.
She said a ban would be “useless” and would punish young people for problems that have been created by adults.
Despite that, she supports stronger safeguards to protect children and prevent them from being exposed to dangerous content.
Elie Sabanci, 16, another founder of Vote16, says she has already seen the benefits of restricting social media in schools.
While she believes a blanket ban would be a difficult transition, she argues it would ultimately help children and those who have lost their ability to connect.
Elie said: “Banning phones in schools was hard at first, and it was difficult to adjust, but in the long run, communication and connection have just been so much better.”
One of the main problems, she says, is the jealousy and unrealistic standards social media can create between friends and groups. “It distorts the reality of what’s normal, which is really harmful for growing minds to think that everyone’s life is so great and good things are happening, and it’s just them who is struggling.
“A lot of people talk about how their childhood has been taken away from them simply because of this standard that teenagers put on each other that they need to be using their phones all the time and need to be engaging with trends.
“So I think it will really give back that sense of childhood back to younger people.”
One of the main arguments against a ban is that it would cut young people off from communities, but Elie believes social media often acts as an escape rather than a solution for these people.
”I think it’s kind of a vicious cycle… Community should be in person, it should be human to human, and social media has allowed people to escape from that.
“I think saying that you have an online community is just an excuse and I think when that gets removed, it will be hard, but it will be great, because people will be forced to actually find real connection.”
