Rejected petition Stop The Under 16s Social Media Ban

Banning social media for under-16s would be unfair and ineffective for the digital world, as because it ignores the real benefits these platforms provide and opens security and privacy risks.

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Social media helps millions of teens stay connected, not only with friends, but also keeps them updated on news, politics and much more. A blanket ban is not only unnecessary, but very unfair to people who have grown up in the digital age. Also, this is a huge cybersecurity risk, as this doesn’t just affect children, EVERYONE will have to “prove their age” whether it be ID or face scans. This undermines online privacy, and creates security risks that could be undermined by bad actors.

This petition was rejected

Why was this petition rejected?

There’s already a petition about this issue. We cannot accept a new petition when we already have one about a very similar issue.

You are more likely to get action on this issue if you sign and share a single petition.

You may wish to sign this petition, which calls for similar action: "Do not ban social media for under 16s" https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/757233

We only reject petitions that don’t meet the petition standards.

Date submitted 23 January 2026
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