By 261 votes to 150, the House of Lords has backed a social media ban for under-16s.

Arguments for the ban

On the one hand, I understand the need for action. A study from the Child Mind Institute suggests that the use of social media from a young age impairs the ability of teenagers to understand nonverbal cues and body language, and feeds into teenage mental health issues, with growing cases of comparisons with perfect online images that lower self-esteem.

The United States Surgeon General’s study on social media use among young people found that children aged 12-15 who spent more than 3 hours a day on social media faced greater risks of developing depression and anxiety.

Brown University conducted its own study, finding that increased use of social media among young people has also led to an increase in cyberbullying, with nine out of ten LGBTQ young people online experiencing online abuse, and suicide rates among 10- to 14-year-olds increasing by more than 50% over the last three decades, with social media playing a role in modern times.

Research conducted by The Kaiser Family Foundation found that young people who spend the most time on social media are also the least content, and also tend to struggle the most in school, scoring low grades on average. Building upon this research, the California Adolescent Health Collaborative found that 21% of teens surveyed as part of their study were found to be the most at-risk of having depression.

Opposition to the ban

On the other hand, studies published in the International Journal for Studies on Children, Women, Elderly and DIsabled found that the most effective way to combat issues such as cyberbullying, impact on mental health and wellbeing, and exploitation was through education to children as well as to parents, caregivers abd educators relating to protecting privacy, how to navigate social media safely, and a greater focus in schools on digital skills and online safety.

The NSPCC conducted its own research, asking children and young people for their opinion on social media. Children felt that social media plays a significant role in communication and that it is essential to be able to connect, build, and nurture relationships. They also felt that the world had changed since their parents’ time, and that limiting their access would be impossible to enforce.

The Western Australian Commissioner for Children and Young People conducted a literature review into the impact of social media on the well-being of children and young people. Some of the good practices suggested by the review included fostering “digital age literacies” for children and young people through the use of education, which would include and expand beyond the safe use of social media, but also explore the moral and ethical repercussions of their actions online; promoting peer and intergenerational capacities and support, both online and offline, to foster digital skills and maximise positive opportunities for children and young people’s well-being.

My view on the ban

I think it’s beyond doubt that something must be done. With the recent case of Grok AI being used to generate inappropriate sexualised images of children, along with the above cases relating to social media having adverse impacts on children and young people’s mental health, there is a clear moral duty to protect them online. But the matter of children’s and young people’s rights still remains. The UN states that it is the right of a child to “participate fully in cultural and artistic life and shall encourage the provision of appropriate and equal opportunities for cultural, artistic, recreational and leisure activity”.

Social media has been embedded in our culture. It provides recreational, leisurely, cultural and artistic outlets for individuals to participate in. Denying this to under-16s goes against the very rights set out by the UN. And yet, the facts remain: social media can have an adverse effect on young people’s lives.

So what is to be done? While I do not support blanket bans, it’s clear that OfCom has failed in its duty to regulate accordingly. I believe a joint effort is needed by the state, platform owners, guardians, and education providers to create safer spaces for young people online, equip them with the knowledge and skills to navigate social media, and issue penalties to platform owners who allow abuse to continue despite reports being made.

Banning under-16s doesn’t solve the problem; it only masks it. Until social media as a whole is better regulated and prepared for, they will persist, no matter one’s age.

* Jack Meredith is a member of the Welsh Liberal Democrats and an active campaigner and canvasser with Swansea and Gower Liberal Democrats. His writing focuses on democratic reform, social justice, trade unionism, economic democracy, and the institutional foundations of effective government. He has written for the Fabians, Lib Dem Voice, Liberator, Nation Cymru, Bylines Cymru, and Centre Think Tank.