Anna Freud responds to the UK’s social media ban
Claire Evans, our Deputy CEO, says action is welcome, but government must support wellbeing ‘without closing doors to opportunity and connection’.
Today (15 June 2026) the government announced that access to a wide range of social media platforms will be banned in the UK for users under 16.
The plan includes a ban on major social platforms – including Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X - with separate restrictions on other online products such as gaming apps, including removing the option to chat to strangers. The government has indicated that messaging services like WhatsApp and Signal will not be covered in the ban.
The announcement follows heated discussion on the relationship between young people’s wellbeing and social media over the last decade, along with some early research.
Some studies have highlighted harms, including cyberbullying, exposure to inappropriate content, sleep deprivation, and addiction, while excessive screen time has been associated with mental health problems. Other studies have highlighted more positive impacts, such as facilitating social connection and self-expression, along with particular benefits for those from certain groups, including LGBTQIA+ young people, including the ability to create and join supportive communities.
Our response
Claire Evans, Deputy CEO at Anna Freud, said:
“We welcome the action that the government is taking today to protect young people from the many harms that are associated with social media. From exposure to damaging content and social comparison to addictive algorithms that can impact sleep and focus, these platforms can impact children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing.
“However, young people have been telling us for years their relationship with social media is nuanced. While many struggle with impacts from platforms built for profit, not development, others find community and connection online. And where there are well-founded concerns on addictive scrolling and misinformation, there are also opportunities for education and self-expression. This begs the question whether young people will miss out on positives associated with social media due to the failures of technology companies to protect them.
“We also recognise that the rise of social media has, in part, coincided with more than a decade of falling levels of investment in our communities. Real world spaces, such as sports clubs, youth centres and parks, where young people can develop crucial social and emotional skills have been chipped away. We know that digital technologies have sometimes filled these gaps so, without renewed investment in communities, there is a chance this ban could increase the risk of social isolation for some.
“It is vital that the government now uses evidence to inform action. This includes working closely with children, young people and families, along with experts from across the sector, to ensure this historic decision supports wellbeing without closing doors to opportunity and connection. It must also be accompanied by serious investment in communities to help nourish young people’s social worlds and build the foundations for lifelong wellbeing.”