<![CDATA[The UK social media ban for under-16s does nothing to sort out the harms caused by platforms.]]>The UK social media ban for under-16s does nothing to sort out the harms caused by platforms.

Harmful content is a product of a business model that uses data to drive engagement and target users with ads.

Digital ID checks feed more data into this system, while leaving the engine for harms unchecked.

Read our response ⬇️

https://www.openrightsgroup.org/press-releases/starmers-social-media-ban-fails-to-address-root-causes-of-online-harms/

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/topic/51634d04-f1f0-4d55-812d-435523975d24/the-uk-social-media-ban-for-under-16s-does-nothing-to-sort-out-the-harms-caused-by-platforms.RSS for NodeFri, 19 Jun 2026 13:28:26 GMTMon, 15 Jun 2026 09:26:50 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to The UK social media ban for under-16s does nothing to sort out the harms caused by platforms. on Mon, 15 Jun 2026 12:53:48 GMT]]>RE: https://social.openrightsgroup.org/@openrightsgroup/116753407017940135

@openrightsgroup This could be so simple: 1. Add age attestation (no ID needed) to the operating system 2. require mandatory API's to query age bracket (made transparent for user) for every operating system over a certain threshhold of market share 3. make every app vendor and website implement checks against this API and show only age-appropriate content. / This way parents would have agency. Transparent and anonymous.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/tomwor/statuses/116754220872888987https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/tomwor/statuses/116754220872888987Mon, 15 Jun 2026 12:53:48 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to The UK social media ban for under-16s does nothing to sort out the harms caused by platforms. on Mon, 15 Jun 2026 12:09:55 GMT]]>@openrightsgroup
If the content were to be regulated as per normal media... TV, newsppers, radio, would this help...

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.uno/users/Carenanaas/statuses/116754048325716469https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.uno/users/Carenanaas/statuses/116754048325716469Mon, 15 Jun 2026 12:09:55 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to The UK social media ban for under-16s does nothing to sort out the harms caused by platforms. on Mon, 15 Jun 2026 11:07:14 GMT]]>@sxa This is part of a push for interoperability between platforms, giving users greater choice with the ability to switch where their account is hosted and drive competition for better moderation systems, recommendation feeds, or advertising models.

Our report details our proposals to improve on the online environment through user empowerment ⬇️

https://www.openrightsgroup.org/publications/making-platforms-accountable-empowering-users-and-creating-safety/

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://social.openrightsgroup.org/users/openrightsgroup/statuses/116753801857046207https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://social.openrightsgroup.org/users/openrightsgroup/statuses/116753801857046207Mon, 15 Jun 2026 11:07:14 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to The UK social media ban for under-16s does nothing to sort out the harms caused by platforms. on Mon, 15 Jun 2026 10:56:37 GMT]]>@openrightsgroup Genuine question - what is your proposal for "Compelling social media companies to let us take our followers and data with us if we want to leave their platforms." given that users don't (and arguably shouldn't) have a global identify that can work across platforms. The data I get (and most let you export) but automatically moving followers feels a lot harder.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://fosstodon.org/users/sxa/statuses/116753760120960274https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://fosstodon.org/users/sxa/statuses/116753760120960274Mon, 15 Jun 2026 10:56:37 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to The UK social media ban for under-16s does nothing to sort out the harms caused by platforms. on Mon, 15 Jun 2026 10:42:55 GMT]]>@openrightsgroup

> That means tackling the business model of social media platforms – from targeted ads and algorithms to user lock-in.

yep. And this is the good part. Stopping wealth extraction.

--
Uriel Fanelli
Using Aktor: https://git.keinpfusch.net/loweel/Aktor-2
XMPP: uriel@keinpfusch.net
old blog: https://blog.keinpfusch.net
new blog: https://keinpfusch.net

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://bbs.keinpfusch.net/users/uriel/statuses/01KV5E14H2J9GFW7XBN12K8CJVhttps://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://bbs.keinpfusch.net/users/uriel/statuses/01KV5E14H2J9GFW7XBN12K8CJVMon, 15 Jun 2026 10:42:55 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to The UK social media ban for under-16s does nothing to sort out the harms caused by platforms. on Mon, 15 Jun 2026 10:26:22 GMT]]>@openrightsgroup Yet all over the world it’s ok for under-16s to get married, even forced to marry. Because that is safe for children, right? Just think: less information available to children who may need it desperately. Children who are harmed by adults who view them as slaves or property. What evil cruelty.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://beige.party/users/cobalt123/statuses/116753641158128860https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://beige.party/users/cobalt123/statuses/116753641158128860Mon, 15 Jun 2026 10:26:22 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to The UK social media ban for under-16s does nothing to sort out the harms caused by platforms. on Mon, 15 Jun 2026 10:17:58 GMT]]>@openrightsgroup keeps timing me out when I try to sign 🤷

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mas.to/users/SCG/statuses/116753608113739212https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mas.to/users/SCG/statuses/116753608113739212Mon, 15 Jun 2026 10:17:58 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to The UK social media ban for under-16s does nothing to sort out the harms caused by platforms. on Mon, 15 Jun 2026 09:26:51 GMT]]>Banning under-16s online restricts access to information while creating huge privacy risks.

Instead the UK government should target the root cause of online harms.

That means tackling the business model of social media platforms – from targeted ads and algorithms to user lock-in.

Sign the petition ⬇️

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/break-big-tech

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://social.openrightsgroup.org/users/openrightsgroup/statuses/116753407107394975https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://social.openrightsgroup.org/users/openrightsgroup/statuses/116753407107394975Mon, 15 Jun 2026 09:26:51 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to The UK social media ban for under-16s does nothing to sort out the harms caused by platforms. on Mon, 15 Jun 2026 09:26:51 GMT]]>Age verification is being extended to block vast areas of the Internet.

That means millions of people handing over ID documents and biometric data to unregulated providers.

It becomes a treasure trove for hackers, as has already been seen since introducing age checks with the Discord data leak.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://social.openrightsgroup.org/users/openrightsgroup/statuses/116753407092883486https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://social.openrightsgroup.org/users/openrightsgroup/statuses/116753407092883486Mon, 15 Jun 2026 09:26:51 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to The UK social media ban for under-16s does nothing to sort out the harms caused by platforms. on Mon, 15 Jun 2026 09:26:50 GMT]]>A social media ban addresses the symptoms, not the cause of online harms.

Platforms rely on extensive data collection to target ads and keep users online for longer.

Algorithms prioritise content most likely to capture attention and drive interaction, spreading harmful, polarising and addictive content.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://social.openrightsgroup.org/users/openrightsgroup/statuses/116753407038191168https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://social.openrightsgroup.org/users/openrightsgroup/statuses/116753407038191168Mon, 15 Jun 2026 09:26:50 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to The UK social media ban for under-16s does nothing to sort out the harms caused by platforms. on Mon, 15 Jun 2026 09:26:50 GMT]]>An under-16s ban means making every adult prove they're over 16 for access.

The data shared for age verification can also be used by platforms and the wider data broker ecosystem to send you ads and customised content.

It's a policy that fuels the very business model that generates online harms.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://social.openrightsgroup.org/users/openrightsgroup/statuses/116753407067965448https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://social.openrightsgroup.org/users/openrightsgroup/statuses/116753407067965448Mon, 15 Jun 2026 09:26:50 GMT