this post was submitted on 15 Jun 2026
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UK: Under-16s to be banned from social media, Starmer announces (www.bbc.co.uk)
submitted 9 hours ago by Tarambor@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world
87 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Under-16s will be banned from using social media, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced.

Starmer says social media is making children unhappy, making it easier for bullies to abuse children, and is "designed to be addictive". A ban would give children more time, security, and more freedom to grow up - as well as more opportunities, he adds.

"That is all any parent wants. They want to know that Britain will be better for their children, that they will get a fair chance," the PM says in a speech in Downing Street.

Starmer adds that the government is "not prepared to compromise" on the safety and happiness of children - and that includes in the regulation and enforcement of this ban. He says the government has listened to and learned from countries like Australia, where a similar ban has already been introduced.

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[–] TheFrirish@tarte.nuage-libre.fr -3 points 8 hours ago (2 children)

Unpopular opinion: GOOD

[–] Noja@sopuli.xyz 10 points 6 hours ago (2 children)

I think you should make the first step here and upload a selfie video waving your ID around to prove that you are old enough to be on the fediverse/lemmy. Otherwise we must assume that you are under 16 and ban you from all instances.

[–] TheFrirish@tarte.nuage-libre.fr 1 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

I 100% agree with that view but honestly if losing lemmy means we lose Facebook, Insta, and the rest of pure online cancer then so be it.

[–] Noja@sopuli.xyz 3 points 3 hours ago

What? They are still there, but they and their ID verification companies have even more data to sell.

[–] LordDaveTheKind@piefed.social -1 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

If the authentication system is similar to a 2FA, where I store my ID information on my mobile phone for instance, and the seller website requires just an authentication token (or code), I'll happily use it, as it would fit my security terms and requirements. Otherwise, I simply won't use that service. Fair and square. What of this approach is too tough to get?

[–] Noja@sopuli.xyz 3 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

You will see for yourself soon enough that you will have to upload your ID or 3D scan your face if you live in one of those garbage countries. Those ID verification companies admit that they are only 95% accurate at estimating user age, which means that 5% of your population is now barred from accessing websites that they should have access to, which should be completely unacceptable in a normal world.

Have a tech question as a teenager? Good fucking luck trying to beat the reddit age verification. Want to refresh your knowledge of how to give first aid? Guess what, fuck you. Need help with school work? Guess what, it's all on YouTube. Researching a sensitive topic? Age gated, restricted, banned.

If you give your little kids smartphones that's your fucking problem, not mine!

[–] LordDaveTheKind@piefed.social 1 points 4 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago)

You will see for yourself soon enough that you will have to upload your ID or 3D scan your face if you live in one of those garbage countries. What country do you live in? And, if you don't live in any of those affected countries, why should your opinion be more valuable than the one of the people living in it?

Those ID verification companies admit that they are only 95% accurate at estimating user age, which means that 5% of your population is now barred from accessing websites that they should have access to, which should be completely unacceptable in a normal world.
And that's an IMPLEMENTATION concern. A legit one, but still relevant just on how the system is implemented, not on the purpose on the system by itself.

Have a tech question as a teenager? Good fucking luck trying to beat the reddit age verification. Want to refresh your knowledge of how to give first aid? Guess what, fuck you. Need help with school work? Guess what, it’s all on YouTube. That's a seller problem. Each of them already offers a limited version of their content if you don't login. Youtube has a Youtube Kids portal too! If the legislation is in place, they would do whatever they could to offer a sanitised version of their content to underage or not identified users.

Researching a sensitive topic? Age gated, restricted, banned.
Why should a teenager do it without guidance? Quite the opposite, the risk is to find just bad advice. This argument gets me even more convinced.

If you give your little kids smartphones that’s your fucking problem, not mine!
Yeah because that's how kids reason, isn't it? If you forbid something to them they absolutely won't go to their peers and friends to get access to that, will they?

[–] LordDaveTheKind@piefed.social -3 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

Agree. And any professional working or dealing with children would agree.

And, for anyone who is telling: "lEt ThE pArEnTs dO tHaT!!11|!!", please put yourself in that situation. Would your parents have been able to set rigorous and effective checks on the media you accessed in your youth? And even if so, the conditions in which a teenager lives today are different than the ones you experienced: average time spent with families is decreasing, the average time that teenagers spend in touch with their peers (not necessarily in person, but also via IM) is increasing, and therefore also the peer pressure. Also, what about those kids with absent parents? What about those kids with toxic or incompetent parents?

Sure, I agree with anyone who says that kids should be guided and assisted on social media in the right environments, or in a way to find the right spaces to express themselves (with hobbies, sports, group activities, whatever), and I’ll vote for anyone who could do anything on that purpose. But we can also imagine flying cars at this point.

[–] Virtvirt588@lemmy.world 4 points 5 hours ago

As a person supporting "professionals" you seem quite dead set on supporting what literally is fascism. Your last paragraph doesn't make this any better.