On Monday 15 June, the United Kingdom government has announced it will ban social media platforms from offering services to under-16s.
Responding to the announcement, Chantal Joris, ARTICLE 19’s Interim Head of Law and Policy, said:
‘The government is framing the ban on social media for under-16s as a protective measure. In reality, it is unlikely to make children safer. What it will do is let both the government and social media companies off the hook.
‘Children do face real risks online, including exposure to inciting content, disinformation, addictive design features, and exploitative data practices. But those risks stem from how platforms are built, operated and monetised – not simply from children being online.
‘By shifting responsibility on to users, away from the companies responsible for those risks, the government is avoiding the real issues: business models that profit from maximising engagement, harvesting data and amplifying harmful content. A ban will reduce the pressure on platforms to clean up their act and provide age-appropriate, rights-respecting digital environments for children, and for everyone else.
‘There are real questions about how a social media ban will be enforced. Age verification measures carry significant implications for privacy and freedom of expression for all internet users. While the proposal is presented as a way to protect children, it risks requiring young people to hand over even more personal data through intrusive verification systems.
‘The problem is not children’s access to social media; it is the toxic incentives and practices embedded in the platforms. A ban does nothing to address these structural drivers and may simply provide an illusion of control – while disregarding children’s rights to free expression and privacy.’