This week, the UK government launched a consultation on banning social media for under 16s to protect their mental wellbeing.

Let's get into our thoughts on how we got here...

We are raising kids who rarely experience boredom.

Boredom is a wonderful thing, and used to be where imagination lived, creativity started, curiosity grew and self-soothing was learned. Now it’s something we panic-solve with a screen.

Short-form content trains young people to expect instant dopamine, constant novelty, zero friction...and endless scrolling. We’re teaching them that nothing should feel slow, and sadly, that can change how real life feels. It can start to feel boring, hard and underwhelming.

Not because it actually is, but because it can’t compete with an algorithm.

Why panic isn’t the answer, but awareness is

We probably don’t need panic, but we do need better research, and we definitely need better education. Social media isn’t “bad”, but it is addictive by design.

Like anything that feels good: coffee, alcohol, sugar, shopping, scrolling…it gives you a hit. And we all know that comes with a cost.

The real superpower for the next generation

The more we understand that cost, the better we can protect young brains — while still enjoying the upside.

The real future superpower is being able to sit, to be bored, to imagine, to stay with something, to build depth.‍

Why a ban for under 16s makes sense

So, is banning social media under 16 actually… right?

We think absolutely yes!

Not because social media is “evil,” but because young brains are still learning how to:

- regulate dopamine

- handle comparison

- sit with boredom

- build attention spans

- form identity

Right now, algorithms are doing that teaching, not adults with context, empathy, and real human feeling.