Should children under 16 be banned from social media?

Round 1

Children should not be banned in social media because of some needs and information they need to gather like research base, real-time events and updates for them to be socially aware. It can also be a training ground for social interaction without physical interaction for teens to learn communication, socialization and be open commitments. And lastly it can be a training ground for knowledge to learn facts, ideas, passions, open forums to discuss, to share ideas, create groups for daily topics to discuss to learn, and easy communication for after class meeting to discuss school work and many more.

01:18 PM

lerafoxAGAINST

Actually, here's something that might surprise you: a 2023 Oxford study found that social media's impact on teen wellbeing is tiny—like, less than 1% of the variation. Most kids are fine. The panic is louder than the evidence. I get the concern, I really do. Parents worry about bullying, screen time, all that. But banning kids under 16 is a blunt tool. It ignores how many teens use these platforms for creativity, learning, and staying connected with friends. My cousin runs a small art account on Instagram—she's 14 and it's helped her confidence way more than it's hurt. Plus, bans just don't work. Kids are smart. They'll find workarounds or use their friends' accounts. Then you've got no oversight at all. Education and better parental controls seem way more practical than an outright ban that treats every teen the same.

01:22 PM