2 in 3 oppose a social media ban for under 16s, finds student opinion poll

Nearly 2 in 3 oppose a social media ban for under 16s, according to an opinion poll of 155 first-year undergraduate students at City St George’s, University of London.

Researchers Dr Belén Barros Pena, Lecturer in Human-Computer Interaction, and Dr Devina Sarwatay, Presidential Fellow in Media, Culture and Creative Industries, asked the students about their opinions on the benefits vs drawbacks of banning social media for children.

The students believed that a ban would unfairly punish young people rather than regulating social media companies who allow harmful content and addictive algorithms to proliferate.

“The problem is the way platforms work, not young people using them,” one student explained.

An analysis of the student responses found:

• Young people rely on social media for belonging, especially if they are part of a marginalised community (disabled, neurodivergent, or LGBTQ+)
• Young people believe Big Tech and Government can’t be trusted with sensitive information, for fear of hacks and leaks, and felt age verification could form part of a surveillance state
• Current bans (as in Australia) are easy to bypass, and they might displace young people to less regulated and less safe online spaces.

Rather than opposing regulation outright, students repeatedly proposed alternative solutions centred on platform accountability.

One solution a students suggested was for social media companies to set limits on algorithmic amplification, which is the process by which platforms automatically rank and prioritise certain types of content in feeds over others.

This can be harmful because algorithms might amplify videos or posts that are extreme, offensive or distressing, because the algorithm is predicting how much users might engage with it.

Another student proposed social media platforms build youth‑specific modes. This could look like companies building two versions of their platforms: one for adults, and another version for children.

The respondents called on the Government to provide better digital literacy education.

Dr Sarwatay said:

Young people’s responses are clear: online safety is not the problem, unsafe social media platforms are.

Forcing platforms to change their business models and design approach is the only way to keep young people safe.

The current approach to regulation – in which social media platforms pay fines they can easily afford and continue business as usual – does not work.

We need a different kind of regulation that preserves and protects young people’s digital rights.

Dr Barros Pena added:

If enacted, an under-16s ban would reshape young people’s digital lives in ways that are difficult to reverse.

Before doing so, policymakers should move beyond consultations that few young people can meaningfully access and towards forms of participation that reflect how embedded digital spaces are in young lives.

Young people point to a more demanding task for policymakers in regulating powerful platforms while preserving young people’s rights, autonomy and access to community.

Safety online matters, but so does belonging, fairness and trust.

The opinion poll came as the UK House of Commons proposed an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill which would require certain Internet services to block access for those under 18.

If enacted, these proposals will profoundly impact young people’s access to digital content and services.

To build on the Online Safety Act 2023 and to better understand the impact of technology on children’s everyday lives, the Government is hosting a national consultation, which closes on 26 May 2026.