Following the announcement of a social media ban for under-16s in Spring 2027, politicians, activists and academics have weighed in on the potential implications of the new ruling. Professor Claire Howarth of the School of Psychology and Neuroscience advised caution in overstating the impact of the government ban. In this article, she calls for the government to follow up with funding for alternative youth activities, particularly during the Winter months, to occupy the time which young people would otherwise have spent on screens.
Professor Claire Haworth provides expert comment on government's under-16s social media ban
"We must be careful about over-promising what a social media ban can do," warns Haworth.