Why the government risks making a fundamental mistake with the social media ban for under-16s

Every generation has its own version of the ‘protect the children’ debate. Today, that debate centres on smartphones and social media. There is little disagreement that we have allowed an unsafe online world to be created for children and we need to act quickly to change this.

Parents are understandably worried about the impact social media can have on young people’s mental health, wellbeing and exposure to harmful content and policymakers are right to highlight difficult questions around how the biggest technology companies facilitate children to access harmful content.

But as discussions around a social media ban gather pace, we risk making a fundamental mistake. We are treating online safety and digital inclusion as two completely separate challenges, when in reality and in practice, they are deeply interconnected.  A ban is a quick solution that will help keep some children safe some of the time, but alone is not the full solution.

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Protecting children online and ensuring they have the digital skills to thrive are not competing priorities. They are two sides of the same coin. So whilst we support the ban, certainly in protecting those with limited digital skills, we believe it fails to recognise the importance of education.

Access to technology can no longer be considered a privilege in a society which has become centred around technology, it genuinely changes lives. A laptop isn’t simply a piece of hardware; it is a passport to education, employment and opportunity. Increasingly, it is also a gateway to public services, healthcare and everyday participation in society.

That is why digital exclusion is no longer simply about whether someone owns a device. It is about whether they have the confidence, skills and understanding to use technology safely, critically and effectively. It is also whether the have the right device for their needs, which for children is, we believe, a device with a keyboard.

This is the fundamental distinction the conversation around social media often overlooks, seeing all technology through the lens of a smartphone, and conflating social media platforms and the wider internet. Access to educational technology is essential. Access to harmful online environments is not. The challenge for policymakers is not choosing between the two. It is recognising that one cannot be addressed without the other, and that policymakers in education have the ability to resolve these issues.

Children today are expected to complete homework online, research assignments, collaborate with classmates digitally and prepare for workplaces that are becoming increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. Digital skills are no longer an optional extra; they are becoming a basic requirement for participating in modern life. In reality, this means access to a laptop, not a smartphone.

Whilst in many areas of life we restrict access to harms until children grow to be able to understand and manage these, we must still have the education for children, parents and teachers that will help them in a wide range of online services. Otherwise, we risk creating a generation that is less prepared to navigate the digital world they will inevitably inherit, apparently at the age of 16.

After all, social media is only one part of a much larger digital ecosystem.  Social media is not the entirety of the Internet.

Young people will still encounter online misinformation, scams, AI-generated content, cybercrime, online advertising and digital manipulation throughout their lives. Turning 16 does not suddenly equip someone with the judgement to identify harmful content, protect their privacy or critically evaluate what they see online. These are learned skills.

Just as we teach children how to crossroads rather than banning them from using them altogether, we must teach them how to navigate digital spaces safely. With more responsibility, such as driving, comes further learning.

Our own research highlights a significant gap between what families want and what children are receiving. Sixty-three per cent of parents believe education about online harms is the most effective way to keep children safe online. Yet only 23% say their child has received any form of media literacy education at school. That should concern us.

Parents clearly recognise that lasting online safety needs this education in preparation for a life that will growingly be lived partly online. Young people themselves need the knowledge to make informed decisions, recognise risks and understand how platforms are designed to influence behaviour.

Media literacy should be treated with the same seriousness as reading, writing and mathematics. In an age where mysterious algorithms increasingly shape the information we consume, understanding how digital platforms operate is becoming a fundamental life skill. This matters particularly for children already experiencing disadvantage.

The digital divide has never simply been about connectivity. It reflects wider inequalities in education, income and opportunity.

Children from lower-income households are more likely to lack access to suitable devices, reliable internet connections and digital support at home. They are often the same young people who have fewer opportunities to develop digital confidence outside the classroom.

If policy focuses only kicking the can down the road to adulthood, without investing in digital education, those existing inequalities risk becoming even more entrenched. Those with the greatest resources will continue to access private tutoring, digital education and parental support. Those without them may simply fall further behind.

Closing the digital divide therefore requires more than providing devices. It requires ensuring every young person develops the skills to use technology responsibly, confidently and safely.

Of course, education alone cannot solve this challenge. Technology companies must continue to take greater responsibility for the environments they create. Safer platform design, stronger age assurance, meaningful enforcement of existing and new regulation and greater transparency all have an important role to play – for all age groups, including adults.

Parents, schools, industry and government each have responsibilities that cannot simply be delegated to one another. Ultimately, the question should not be whether children have access to technology. They need it to learn, to communicate and to prepare for the future. The real question is whether we are equipping them to use that technology well.

The digital divide of tomorrow will not simply separate those who have internet access from those who do not. It will separate those who have the skills, confidence and critical thinking to navigate an increasingly digital society from those who have been left to figure it out alone.

If we truly want to protect the next generation, we must stop treating online safety and digital inclusion as competing priorities. The safest digital future is also the most inclusive one.

Elizabeth Anderson is CEO of the Digital Poverty Alliance.

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