British teens are already planning to dodge the government’s social media ban
Close to half of teens are already planning to move to alternative apps to circumvent the government’s upcoming restrictions on major social media platforms.
The government plans to impose age restrictions on social media applications, preventing those under 16 years old from accessing platforms such as Instagram and Reddit.
As a result of these measures, millions of people in Britain will face age assurance checks from social media platforms next year, and they will need to prove their identity using photo ID matching, digital ID, facial age estimation, or a banking check.
Research from Opinium for EE has found that ahead of the upcoming ban 42% of young people aged between 11 and 15 are planning to move to apps not covered by the restrictions, and 44% are already discussing alternatives with their friends.
Possible workarounds to the ban could include VPN usage, or switching to alternative messaging apps, gaming sites, and lesser-known social platforms not covered by the ban’s protections.
Ironically, this behaviour could lead young people to platforms that are exposed to the very risks these restrictions were designed to prevent.
While just 44% of parents are aware that the social media ban will take effect in march, nearly all teachers surveyed by Opinium expect at least some of their pupils to succeed in somehow dodging the ban.
The pressure on young people from their friends to remain online and connected via social media is significant.
A third of teenagers surveyed said their friendships would suffer without them being on the same social media apps as their friends, and 49% of teachers said their pupils are upset about the online safety restrictions.
Many parents also do not agree with the ban, and 39% said they would help their child circumvent the protections if they felt the restrictions were harming them or causing their friendships to suffer.
EE urged parents to have an honest discussion with their children about online safety so that they are able to safely navigate the imposition of the ban without moving to less regulated platforms where they might be exposed to harmful content.
“Parents are the first port of call for children when they encounter issues online, yet children are looking to switch to platforms that parents may be less familiar with,” said Internet Matters CEO Rachel Huggins.
“These platforms may also present more risk of harm than those that are likely to fall into the scope of the ban, therefore presenting parents with an even greater challenge.”
To help parents navigate this challenge, EE said it is offering free online safety sessions in over 300 stores across the UK.
