- UK PM Keir Starmer proposed banning social media for children under 16 to combat harm and addiction
- Teenagers interviewed by BBC largely opposed the ban, showing frustration and dependence on social media
- Online users were divided, with some supporting the ban and others citing legitimate platform uses
The decision by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to ban social media for children under 16 is already drawing a sharp reaction from the very audience it targets - teenagers. Following Starmer's announcement, the BBC spoke to several school students about the proposed ban. When a reporter asked a 14-year-old girl, who said she spent up to nine hours a day on social media, what she would do if the ban came into force, she replied: "Stare at a wall."
The remark quickly went viral, with social media users fiercely divided over what it revealed about teenage dependence on online platforms.
In the same BBC video, the reporter asked students who supported the ban to raise their hands. None did, underscoring the widespread frustration among the teenagers interviewed.
Online, however, many users welcomed the proposal.
"To be honest, this is the one positive of the ban. We lost one generation to doom-scrolling 30-second videos. Let's not lose another," one Reddit user wrote.
Another argued that the teenagers' reaction only strengthened the case for restrictions.
"'I don't know anything else I can do other than social media,' while speaking on behalf of multiple kids, is a pretty damning statement on the situation," the user posted.
Others said children needed to be "exposed to boredom" rather than constantly entertained by screens.
Not everyone supported a blanket ban. One X user, Tony, argued that while some platforms can be harmful, others serve legitimate purposes.
Recalling a conversation with his daughter, he wrote: She told me 'The only app I have is YouTube and I only use it to listen to music. Why should I be banned?' She has a very good point. Talk to your mother, I said, because I didn't have an answer."
Starmer announced the move on Monday, saying social media was making many young people "unhappy" and exposing them to content that is both "dangerous" and "designed to be addictive".
The proposal is partly inspired by Australia, which became the first country to ban social media access for under-16s in December.
Several other nations are exploring similar measures. Canada and France are considering restrictions, while Indonesia began enforcing its own ban on users under 16 in March.
