Facebook · TikTok · MIT Technology Review
Social media bans are stacking up
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The UK aims to forbid kids under 16 from accessing Facebook, TikTok, and other platforms in early 2027, and the EU has announced its own plan to prohibit social media for kids under 15.
Key facts
- The UK aims to forbid kids under 16 from accessing Facebook, TikTok, and other platforms in early 2027, and the EU has announced its own plan to prohibit social media for kids under 15
- Her latest book is Data Are Made, Not Found: A Story of Politics, Power, and the Civil Servants Who Saved the US Census
- But early lessons from Australia, which enacted a ban in 2024, show that these sorts of age restrictions are easily circumvented
- A study published earlier this year found that four in five teens under 16 made their way onto barred platforms
Summary
Social media bans are stacking up. But early lessons from Australia, which enacted a ban in 2024, show that these sorts of age restrictions are easily circumvented. Some proponents of bans have called for an increased focus on enforcement that blocks these workarounds. But circumvention is a signal, not a nuisance or something to be simply deterred. In their work, they've found that parents and kids both want smarter, more nuanced policies that protect children, families, and their rights. Age gates won’t bring about the desired change, nor will they simplify parenting in the digital world.