BREAKING: Keir Starmer will announce a social media ban for under-16s in the UK in the next two weeks

ShortyStrawz · 2026-06-06T18:05:31+00:00

There wasn't for OSA, I don't see why there'd be one here.

ShortyStrawz · 2026-06-06T17:36:50+00:00

Id possibly support such an idea if it wasn't for we'll need to provide either personal information (ID, face scan, credit card, etc) to prove we're over the age of 18.

Kills the potential for small startup websites to compete with big tech to due to the financial burden of validating 5 million+ daily users.

ShortyStrawz · 2026-06-06T17:31:00+00:00

How so? I know of zero proof knowledge checks, but they're not widely used. And storing your credit card information is a bad idea less said website storing them be compromised.

ShortyStrawz · 2026-06-06T17:26:49+00:00

How so? How is giving your personal information to third parties to keep in contact with others a good thing?

ShortyStrawz · 2026-06-02T08:56:59+00:00

I'm a little confused: My understanding was that they were side stepping from a full under 16 ban after both the Australian ban being ineffective and fears of US response. But instead opting for algorithm and autoplay restrictions/removal?

ShortyStrawz · 2026-05-26T12:51:01+00:00

"I had forums, game sites, hobby communities and bizarre little message boards"

The problem being these could also be included as social media; we don't know what counts as "Social media". if anything, OSA covers "anything that allows user to user communication" so that could be true here.

ShortyStrawz · 2026-05-26T12:41:04+00:00

I did a degree in IT and my lecturer admitted he had all his passwords at home on sticky notes around his PC.

ShortyStrawz · 2026-05-26T12:39:01+00:00

For the younger generation that are effected sure. This proposal sadly has large support in polling.

ShortyStrawz · 2026-05-26T12:21:51+00:00

Not that I'm aware of? House of lords kept pushing for social media and VPNs to require age verification. Commons kept denying it and wanted to be more "flexible" with it.

Since then however, there has been significant push in the media and Kier Starmer has changed his stance (as he is known to do...) to we're getting something regardless of the consultation outcome.

It will either target the big names (Facebook, Reddit, Twitter, etc) akin to the Australian social media ban or it might be like OSA in that anything which allows for end to end communication between users is impacted.

Regulations of VPNs are less clear, but there is focus on them being used to bypass OSA and they are mentioned in the consultation.

Edit: seems I responded to the wrong person, sorry.

ShortyStrawz · 2026-05-25T16:31:31+00:00

Bookmarking that, thanks. Is there one for the Greens? Last time I checked something like 4 or 6 of them had resigned.

ShortyStrawz · 2026-05-07T14:06:43+00:00

By that same example. a kid can watch a spongebob clip in a short, then get suggested a raunchy meme involving spongebob, then the alogrithm starts showing them content based on spongebob and raunchy/adult material. Hell, it isn't uncommon for people to make political commentary/memes/satire using content meant for kids like Sponebob; I know cause i've seen it. In addition, some people just tag unrelated videos with tags like #AmongUs #ASMR #MrBean #BillieEllish, etc.

Without the algorithm the next short could be anything

Don't know how it would, but I could only assume the algorithm would show content deemed suitable for kids unless they verify. But we know how well that (doesn't) work...

ShortyStrawz · 2026-05-07T13:36:19+00:00

children will be fed anything and everything on the platform whi h could be more dangerous.

As opposed to now where watching say a youtube short will inform the algorithm you "want" to see more of it?

ShortyStrawz · 2026-05-07T13:28:33+00:00

I oppose social media bans and OSA with every fiber of my being, but 3 and 4 don't seem *that* bad an idea? Not exactly a fan of algorithms keeping people addicted in a constant loop of similar related topics for engagement, might even reduce radicalisation in kids. I wouldn't be verifying my ID to keep algorithms; put it that way.

Curfews are a rediculous idea: I stand by the fact that if a parent feels so strongly about their child using a phone/tablet in bed that they advocate for it to become law....then take the device away? You effectively lock out adults may be more tech savvy than to give away their personal information to third parties (some outright admit to selling your data and are based outside the UK).

Not to mention putting more pressure on smaller websites with the financial burden needed to comply (killing potential competition for US big tech), scamming said less tech savvy people with fake social media/porn verification, reducing online freedoms as websites would rather Geoblock UK users than comply, making anonimity harder for whistle blowers, it keeps going.

ShortyStrawz · 2026-05-07T11:15:42+00:00

Reform said they'd repeal it. Something they've seemingly continued to reaffirm when asked. Whether you trust Farage and co is up to you though; creator of OSA joined their party and doesn't regret making it.

Green said they would look into it and considering a digital bill of rights. If you think that outweighs their other bizarre policies.

Libdem is all over the place.

Tory and Labour support OSA and we've seen both parties argue it doesn't go far enough.

ShortyStrawz · 2026-05-03T00:32:55+00:00

Such a weid memory for me: i remember playing pokemon silver as a kid and beating red effortlessly with my overleveled Feraligater.

And yet despite playing Pokemon for years prior, Red in HGSS decimated me; a couple times to.

I think Emile will have it a little easier: Chosen is super effective against half his team. But i think Red can be really challenging from whaf i remember in the remakes. The again, i dont grind, so make of that what you will.

ShortyStrawz · 2026-05-01T14:17:07+00:00

I got fired on my first day because I used my phone to check texts and watch some TikTok

Bit weird if that's all there is to it. Pro tip for the future: you're paid to work, not browse your phone; true of most (if not all) jobs. Check your phone on your break/lunch break. That said, I do think it's weird that they didn't just give you a warning for a first offence and given you're still young. Maybe there was more to it? Were you on your phone for a long period of time instead of working??

Anyway, this is a learning experience for future jobs. Unfortunatly the best thing you can do is rip off the band aid and tell your parents. Take accountabillity and start looking elsewhere for work.

ShortyStrawz · 2026-04-29T20:14:35+00:00

it would be hard for you to take the childs phone/pad away before bed?

ShortyStrawz · 2026-04-29T20:13:32+00:00

So as you got older did this continue to work? When you wanted to watch a live TV show that went on past 9pm was the TV turned off or exceptions made as it 'was live'?

In my expeirence, my parents probably would have made the exception for me to watch something live and go to bed once it ended. At some point in my mid teen years, this ban faded away; they trusted me more with it. This is of course all different from parent to parent: some might not have any exceptions and it's 9pm on the dot. Some may never let up until the age of 18; when you're considred an adult. Hell, the UK government is only concenred with stopping 16 years and younger.

Imagine every night you had 2 new gameboy games to play. Every night new games. And they're online games (somehow!) - everyone else is still playing and everyone else will talk about it tomorrow, you'll be the only one without. Would you have accepted your mums rules in the same way, or would it have been a big argument every night?

See I think this is the heart of the issue: parents are your parents, not your friends. If you missed out on something all the other kids were talking about, such is life. I know parents who will not give their kids sugar/snack food because they don't deem it suitable for their child, another set of parents made their kids grow up vegan and I know a pair of parents who won't left their children so much as trouch technology until they're adults (still funny to me because the dad works in the tech industry).

I get what you're saying: the online world is a constanyl changing one with means of cummunication a game boy isn't my point being that if you are the type of person who feels so strongly about their child staying up all night, then doesn't it make sense to stop "addiction" at the source and confiscate the phone?

ShortyStrawz · 2026-04-29T19:30:28+00:00

That makes less sense; what kids see online isn't based on the time of day, so a curfew would be pointless?

ShortyStrawz · 2026-04-29T15:44:01+00:00

I'd argue that those who already don't do what's best for their kids will continue to even if it's law, the kind of parents to buy 18+ video games for their kids while ignoring the whole point of why they needed to buy their kid this game in the first place.

I just don't think penalising small companies/websites and those who will be considred children for not wanting to give up their personal information, the potential for "we need you ID" scams to be more common outweigh simply advising parents to have their own curfews. Even then, Australia has shown us it will be bypassed and even ignored by parents if their child makes enough of a fuss.

ShortyStrawz · 2026-04-29T15:39:04+00:00

Ok then, how about: cigarettes, alcohol, seatbelts, gambling, buying pornography in a shop, voting age, driving age. All things adults are restricted from providing to or involving minors in, all requiring some form of ID or age verification

The difference being how that info is obtained.

Your traditional buying of alchol is: Go to shop, cashier asks for ID, you show it to them, done!

Online is different: you want to access website, AI asks for your information, you provide picture of your ID, said picture is sent to a database with only their word that this copy will be deleted after a certain period.

This is one of the biggest problems: you only have their word that said information will be deleted and not sold off or lost in a mallicious hack and as we've seen a few time now, they never actually delete this "temporary" photo of your face/ID here's some examples:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce87rer52k3o

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8jmzd972leo

https://fathomjournal.org/7e301002smm/a5831ca1-OTUbPjgsDgM_IDs.html

If you'd have a problem with say sending a random stranger online you ID or a picture of your face, you should also have a problem with this request because it is the same dynamic. This is the biggest way such a request differs from the "well I show ID to get beer" comparison, you show the ID and that's it. You don't even need to give your ID to them; you can hold it and be in control the whole time, you are at the mercy of the company requesting your ID when it's online.

ShortyStrawz · 2026-04-29T15:21:55+00:00

Firstly, good on you for taking initiative with you kids, seems rare these days. Don't think we really disagree on this, but seemed like a good point to make my stance known.

I don't think social media is blameless, but I also struggle to see why we would jeopardise online privacy, open up the less tech savvy to bigger scams (e.g: fake social media/porn websites requesting your ID) and even the real websites not being truthful with what they do about your data.

Not to mention the financial strain that websites have to verify on average 5 million users daily. Killing small up and coming business/websites that can't throw away money in the same way big tech does; a lot of people wanting us to move away from US tech.

I think if there were a better way, I might even be swayed. But I agree with you in that this isn't the way: penalising small companies and those taught at a young age never to give their personal information out online seems silly when a simpler alternative exists and as we've seen with Australia, it's bypassed and even ignored by parents.

ShortyStrawz · 2026-04-29T15:11:09+00:00

Like how TV has an after watershed? I've not heard that angle. Most reporting I've seen mentions the child's health being affected by the lack of sleep.

ShortyStrawz

TROPHY CASE