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 ⬇️
#socialmediaban #socialmedia #stopkillinginternet #ukpolitics #ukpol #onlinesafety #ageverification #StopKillingInternet #StopKillingTheInternet
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.
#socialmediaban #socialmedia #starmer #stopkillinginternet #ukpolitics #ukpol #onlinesafety #ageverification #digitalid #privacy #censorship
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.
#socialmediaban #socialmedia #starmer #stopkillinginternet #ukpolitics #ukpol #onlinesafety #ageverification #digitalid #privacy #censorship
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.
#socialmediaban #socialmedia #starmer #stopkillinginternet #ukpolitics #ukpol #onlinesafety #ageverification #digitalid #privacy #censorship #discord
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
#socialmediaban #socialmedia #starmer #stopkillinginternet #ukpolitics #ukpol #onlinesafety #ageverification #digitalid #privacy #censorship #StopKillingTheInternet
Platforms like X, Facebook and Instagram harvest our personal data so that they can target us with ads. Their platforms are designed to keep us online, pushing out content that will keep us engaged. Their power to shape and control what we see online is not only harming children and adults but democracy itself. But we often feel locked in, not wanting to leave the spaces where we still have friends, family and followers. The Government says it’s holding Big Tech to account over online...
The problem is not the Acess but the algorithm and big tech can easily control this.
This is why I created FOSS FilterTube.in so that users/parents can take control of what they wanna see.
Open Rights Group
William Heath
Devansh Varshney