Arabic version: رئيس السلامة على الإنترنت يعارض حظر وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي للقاصرين

The chief executive of the Molly Rose Foundation, Andy Burrows, has voiced strong opposition to a proposed social media ban for children under 16, calling it unenforceable. According to BBC News, Burrows believes the government should instead focus on restricting addictive features that contribute to online harm.

The discussion comes as Sir Keir Starmer is expected to share the government’s online safety plans on Monday, following speculation over a potential blanket ban on under-16s accessing social media, as has been introduced in Australia. Burrows claims that evidence does not support such measures for the UK.

Burrows emphasized the need for decisive actions that could effectively safeguard children, such as banning autoplay, infinite scroll, and harmful algorithms. He expressed concern that the Australian model is not working, as a significant number of parents reported their children still using social media despite the ban.

The UK government has been gathering public feedback on children’s social media use, receiving 116,211 responses. As the government considers various options, including screen time limits, Burrows argues that implementing a ban would only provide “false hope” to parents seeking solutions for their children’s safety online.