UK plans under-16 social media ban

While politically popular, a blanket ban on social media for under-16s is a blunt instrument that ignores the root causes of algorithmic harm and will likely lead to widespread circumvention.

* Age verification systems are notoriously difficult to implement effectively and can be easily bypassed by tech-savvy youth.

* Shifting the burden to age restriction reduces pressure on tech platforms to make their algorithms and feed designs inherently safer for all users.

* Restricting specific dangerous features, like romantic AI chatbots and anonymous direct messaging, is a far more effective approach than a total ban.

* Driving teenagers away from regulated, mainstream platforms risks pushing them toward unmonitored and more dangerous alternative networks.