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 11 hours ago by Tarambor@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world
102 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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[–] LordDaveTheKind@piefed.social 1 points 6 hours ago* (last edited 2 hours ago) (2 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.

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?

[–] Virtvirt588@lemmy.world 1 points 26 minutes ago

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?

There is some sense in that; however in this case this is completely absurd. Do human rights violations not matter? Because thats what's happening here, there are also wars which fit right in your logic, is that out of our concern too?

I'm certainly against people forcefully planting their beliefs and culture (I.e. Christianity, or other "superiors" who think their ethics are true) in other places. But honestly, if you believe things like genocide (which is included In your logic) is non of our concern, as long as its in a different country - then there is no point even continuing to read your entire post.

[–] birdwing@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 40 minutes ago* (last edited 36 minutes ago)

This is the internet, an international place. Everyone's informed opinion is valuable here, regardless of country.

But Youtube Kids fucks over everyone, even those who are not a kid. Google's Youtube for example automatically deletes the comment section if it even remotely thinks your video is aimed at children. So content creators instead have to get creative and insert unneccessary violence/gore (like Cas van de Pol does), to avoid this.

If your kids go to peers to have social media access, then why don't you host gatherings for the kids and friends that are social media-free? You know, the ones that existed before internet?

It can also be enforced differently. On schools, there are social media bans that work without infringing privacy.

Guess how they figured it out? They simply confiscated mobile phones until school was over.