UK set to announce social media ban for under-16s • Hacker News Board

Re: UK set to announce social media ban for under-16s

#11

Post by gslepak » Sun, Jun 14, 2026, 3:06 PM UTC

Another headline about the Digital ID prison system they're building to identify and restrict all access to the Internet for people of all ages.

Then perhaps comes the mark which is about restricting and controlling what you're allowed to buy and sell.

Re: UK set to announce social media ban for under-16s

#12

Post by Schmerika » Sun, Jun 14, 2026, 3:06 PM UTC

throwrioawfo wrote: post #2

Good

Are you saying that with the awareness that this will be used to remove privacy from social media?

Re: UK set to announce social media ban for under-16s

#13

Post by 100ms » Sun, Jun 14, 2026, 3:07 PM UTC

Retr0id wrote: post #7

throwrioawfo wrote: post #2

Good

Abstractly perhaps, but I'm not aware of any practical enforcement mechanism I'd classify as "good".

It doesn't need to be perfect, but in spite of that perfect is possible if people ask for it. Don't tempt them. Look at what happened in Spain with Cloudflare.

Re: UK set to announce social media ban for under-16s

#14

Post by camgunz » Sun, Jun 14, 2026, 3:07 PM UTC

ck2 wrote: post #3

it's illegal for kids to vape too right? how's that working out? (answer: https://ash.org.uk/resources/view/use-of-e-cigarettes-among-... )

The actual ban passed a couple months ago, after the data in your link was collected. But also, smoking bans (etc) had hugely positive effects on smoking rates. There's every reason to be positive.

Re: UK set to announce social media ban for under-16s

#15

Post by testing22321 » Sun, Jun 14, 2026, 3:09 PM UTC

xhkkffbf wrote: post #4

I agree that there are issues, but won't kids find other places to congregate? Maybe in educational sites?

Yes. Hopefully outside, in the park playing with a ball or running around.

Re: UK set to announce social media ban for under-16s

#16

Post by spacedoutman » Sun, Jun 14, 2026, 3:09 PM UTC

Didn't work in Australia, won't work in the UK.

Parents will just scan the kids in.

Re: UK set to announce social media ban for under-16s

#17

Post by christoph » Sun, Jun 14, 2026, 3:09 PM UTC

ck2 wrote: post #3

it's illegal for kids to vape too right? how's that working out? (answer: https://ash.org.uk/resources/view/use-of-e-cigarettes-among-... )

Same as whenever they talk about banning anything in society… They can’t keep drugs, weapons, phones, etc. out of prisons, which are entirely under government purview. Elect clowns, expect a circus.

Re: UK set to announce social media ban for under-16s

#18

Post by jonplackett » Sun, Jun 14, 2026, 3:09 PM UTC

nly wrote: post #10

Alternative title: ID verification to be required for all UK citizens to use social media

Well I needed a good reason to quit social media. This can be it.

Re: UK set to announce social media ban for under-16s

#19

Post by Fervicus » Sun, Jun 14, 2026, 3:10 PM UTC

Arguing about whether this is good or effective for kids or not is irrelevant. This isn't about kids at all. It's about surveillance.

Re: UK set to announce social media ban for under-16s

#20

Post by paytonjjones » Sun, Jun 14, 2026, 3:10 PM UTC

The evidence of social media causing depression and anxiety in youth is mixed and almost all of the affirmative findings are correlational, so I expect to see a variety of takes in this comment thread.

Personally, the strongest positive evidence I've seen comes from the natural experiments tracking when high speed internet & phones were introduced geographically. Rates of teen depression do seem to topple in very close sync with this, as discussed here: https://www.afterbabel.com/p/phone-based-childhood-cause-epi...