The social media ban for under-16s will help teens connect in the real-world

As the government moves to restrict young teens online, Mark Gilmore from the Evangelical Alliance believes that Christian parents and churches have a new opportunity to offer real-life community, belonging, and hope to an anxious generation

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Last week, teenagers across the country reacted with a mixture of disbelief and mild horror as the Prime Minister announced plans to ban social media for under-16s.

In a video that has since gone viral, a schoolgirl was asked what she would do with all the time she would now have free. “Stare at a wall,” she replied, gazing wistfully into the distance as if she were already practising.

There is no doubt that this policy will be difficult for many young people. For a generation raised online, social media is not simply entertainment; it is where many friendships now take place. I know this first-hand. A decade ago, I was 16, and I spent many unhappy hours doomscrolling rather than cultivating real-life friendships. I regret it.

For too long, children’s safety has come second to the interests of major technology companies

Yet if adults struggle to resist the pull of infinite scrolling and algorithmically curated feeds, how can we reasonably expect children to ……