I’ve have never seen social media as a replacement for real connection with my friends or family. I have always felt most connected when I’m with the people I love in person, I just use social media as an extension of that, it helps keep those relationships going even when life gets in the way. Whether it’s checking in with a mate who lives in another town, sending a video that makes someone laugh, or just knowing what’s going on in each other’s lives it keeps that sense of closeness alive.
That’s why the idea of banning social media for under-16s feels like an overreaction to me. It’s obviously important to protect youth from online harm, but a blanket ban doesn't solve that issue, youth will find their way onto social media regardless. If anything, a ban risks making young people feel more isolated, especially in rural areas or small towns where social media is one of the easiest ways to connect with certain communities or people with similar interests.
For me, and for a lot of others, social media has actually helped with my mental health. Sometimes just seeing someone talk openly about their struggles can make you feel less alone. It’s not about fixing everything, but it’s a reminder that someone else gets it.
For some people parts of social media can be draining and there honestly can be harmful parts of it like bullying, comparison culture, pressure to be perfect but all these things were brought in from real life. Instead of banning it, we should be fixing it. That starts with better education around digital safety, teaching young people how to manage their feeds, set boundaries, and report harmful content. What’s out there now, in terms of safety tools, is honestly terrible. If safety is the concern then we need much better safety tools, like more youth focused campaigns and digital literacy taught by people who actually know how these platforms work.
It feels like adults are using this ban to avoid facing the real issues behind youth mental health. For many of us, social media is a place to connect, express ourselves, find support, and be heard in a world that often ignores us. Young people deserve real support, not restrictions.
