UK Bans Social Media for Children Under 16, Keir Starmer Gives 5 Reasons
- Keir Starmer has triggered massive reactions over his announcement to ban children under 16 from accessing social media
- The UK Prime Minister, in a video message, outlined the reasons behind the decision taken by the government
- Netizens have meanwhile shared varied opinions on the decision taken by the UK on social media
The UK government has announced that children under the age of 16 will no longer have access to social media in the country.
The announcement was made on Monday, June 15, by the UK Prime Minister in a video shared on his X page.
Source: Getty Images
Keir Starmer gives reasons for ban
According to Keir Starmer, the move was aimed at protecting children’s mental health from the harmful effects of social media.
The second reason he mentioned for the ban was to limit addiction to endless scrolling and compulsive use.
Preventing exposure to harmful or unsafe content for children under 16 was also another factor he mentioned.
The fourth reason cited for the ban was to help children spend more time on sleep, play, family, and real-life activities.
Finally, he said the decision was aimed at supporting parents struggling to manage their children’s social media use.
“Every parent wants the best for their kids. That's what being a parent means. And for me, for my two kids, all I've ever wanted, hand on heart, is for them to be safe and for them to be happy. The rest is up to them.”
"The response from parents in the consultation has been absolutely clear. Thousands of parents say their children are addicted to social media. It can leave them trapped in a cycle of endless scrolling that displaces play, sleep, and time with the family. It can harm their mental health. And frankly, parents need our support on this.
That is why today the government has decided to ban social media access for children under 16. It's a big step for our country. Now, it's not an easy thing to do. I'll be honest about that. We haven't rushed into it."
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Source: Getty Images
Keir Starmer said the decision will be met with resistance from social media companies, but the UK is resolved in its quest.
Here is the X post by Keir Starmer announcing the ban on social media for under-16s
Reactions to UK social media ban for kids
Social media users took to the comment section of the post and shared varied opinions on the decision taken by the UK government.
@TRusson_WMids stated:
“Under-16s can't have social media, but you want them to immediately get the franchise on the same day they can start making TikToks? Weak.”
@ExOperator65 opined:
“Did I miss the part where you say we respect people's privacy and the right to anonymity? Or the bit where you say you have the right to communicate on phones you paid for without fear of being tracked, hacked, or retaliated against by the government for using free speech?”
@pippaisright added:
“Why don’t you ban the migrants? That’s a greater risk to our children, dumping thousands of unknown men next to our schools!”
UK announces deportation of 6,000 foreigners
In another development, the UK Home Office announced that it had deported nearly 6,000 foreigners from the country.
This was made known on Facebook on Monday, June 1, where it shared a photo showing officials with their faces blurred apprehending a foreigner.
Source: YEN.com.gh
