Britain is also preparing to ban social media for those under 16.

Shocking information has been revealed that nearly half of teenage girls using social media in Britain have been exposed to severely harmful content. In light of this serious situation, it is reported that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is preparing to ban the use of social media platforms such as Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok for children under the age of 16.

This decision is expected to be made after an extensive consultation process lasting approximately three months, and it is anticipated to be even stricter than the laws recently introduced by Australia. Accordingly, the government expects to introduce several measures, including restricting social media use at night for teenagers aged 16 and 17, and changing platform designs.

According to a recent survey, in just one week in April, 47% of girls and about one-third of boys aged 13 to 17 confirmed seeing extremely dangerous content related to suicide, self-harm, and eating disorders. Authorities are deeply concerned that there has been no significant reduction in the percentage of young people exposed to this harmful content compared to the situation before the Online Safety Act came into force. Experts point out that even children as young as 14 have had to be referred to rehabilitation centers due to social media addiction.

However, the government's proposed outright ban has received mixed reactions from various parties. Ian Russell, the father of 14-year-old Molly, who committed suicide in 2017 after viewing toxic content on social media, has strongly opposed the ban. He points out that children will find ways to circumvent the ban anyway, and that the existing dangerous digital environment will remain unchanged. He accuses the Prime Minister of choosing a politically convenient option instead of taking strong action against tech companies and addressing the root cause of the problem.

On the other hand, Ellen Room, the mother of 14-year-old Jules, who died in 2022 while attempting to complete an online challenge, strongly approves of the ban. Furthermore, Arturo Bejar, a former Meta employee and whistleblower, emphasizes that the government should force tech companies to prove their platforms are completely safe before children are allowed access. His view is that if children's safety cannot be guaranteed, a situation should be created where the relevant companies lose their market.