Social Media Is a Problem – But Blanket Bans Aren’t the Answer

The government’s proposal to ban social media access for under-16s has reignited an ongoing debate about how we protect young people online. This week I chatted with a group of IT Professionals members to explore the issue — and while there was shared concern about the harms of social media, there was no clear consensus on whether a blanket ban is the right solution.

What’s clear is that something needs to be done. Members acknowledged the mounting evidence of social media’s negative impact — from online bullying and anxiety to addictive algorithms and exposure to harmful content. Some pointed out that regulation, even if imperfect, can provide a useful reference point for parents and educators. In a world where boundaries are increasingly blurred, a legal line in the sand might give adults the confidence to intervene — and give young people a reason to pause.

But bans also come with risks. History tells us that prohibition doesn’t eliminate behaviour — it often pushes it underground. There’s every reason to believe that teenagers would find workarounds, whether through borrowed devices, VPNs, or secondary accounts. The risk is that we end up with less visibility, less accountability, and less opportunity to guide young people through digital life.

There’s also a wider issue of distraction. As several members noted, this policy feels like a burning dumpster fire or the “bicycle shed moment” — focusing energy on a visible, headline-grabbing problem rather than the more complex task of regulating platforms themselves. The big tech companies driving these issues remain largely untouched by local efforts. In that context, banning access for one age group seems like a small and symbolic move — one that doesn’t address the root cause.

In reality the challenge is bigger than teenagers. Older adults, too, fall victim to scams, misinformation, and polarising content. Harm doesn’t discriminate by age. If we’re serious about online safety, we need more than age restrictions — we need a framework that includes digital literacy education, platform responsibility, ethical design, and clear channels for redress. And importantly, that framework needs to evolve alongside the technology.

There are also broader societal questions at play. Why has social media become such a dominant force in the lives of young people? What does it say about the support structures — in schools, families, and communities — that young people increasingly turn to online spaces for connection, validation, and identity? If we only address the technology, we risk missing the bigger picture.

What came through strongly in the discussion is the need for public discourse before policy is written. Not just consultation — but genuine, open dialogue that includes technologists, educators, psychologists, parents, and most of all, young people themselves. The question isn’t simply whether we should ban under-16s from using social media. It’s whether we’re ready to have a serious, nuanced conversation about how we build healthier digital environments — for everyone.