UK social media ban announcement

The UK government’s social media ban this week is already causing confusion. While it will signal progress for some, in reality it does not remove the risks children face online.

Read our Chair, Ian Russell’s, response to the social media ban in The Guardian.

What to do now?

Many parents will be reflecting on what this could mean for their children and perhaps more importantly, on the conversations that are already emerging about just how easily these measures might be bypassed. We know from evidence from Australia’s social media ban that young people aren’t having to ‘get around’ anything because they’re not being removed in the first place. Over 60% of children in Australia still have access to restricted social media apps despite the ban. Social media bans fail to tackle fundamental problems with product safety and leave parents with a false sense of their child’s security.

The reality is that, despite the ban, young people will continue to be online after it comes into effect, and it’s really important for parents to acknowledge this. A majority of children will continue to use high-risk sites, and these sites will have no incentive to implement robust protections. Only a limited number of apps will likely be covered by the ban, hundreds more exist and they will be accessible.

We will continue to offer guidance and support throughout this period of uncertainty and we have produced a simple guide to help you navigate those conversations. The most important thing you can do now is talk to young people in your life and keep the lines of communication open and free from judgement.

Our work to protect children from preventable harm matters more now than ever and we remain committed to our mission of protecting all young people from online harm.