Youth Voices: Alfie on Why Social Media Needs to Be Safer, Not Banned

As part of our Youth Voices series on the proposed UK social media ban for under-16s, our National Head of Learning – Rory Dickinson – spoke to Alfie (pictured below), an 18-year-old artist, musician and DJ studying in London.

Alfie reflects on the positives and harms of social media, questions whether a ban addresses the real issues, and argues that making online spaces safer should take priority over restricting young people’s access.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? 

My name is Alfie. I’m a queer working-class 18-year-old from Bolton. I’m a multidisciplinary artist, musician, and DJ, and I currently live in London, where I’m studying art. 

How would you describe your relationship with social media? Which apps did you use most growing up? And how did you use them? 

I don’t think I have a great relationship with social media. I use it way more than I want to. I spend far too much time on it. It’s so addictive. Sometimes I find myself locked into Instagram, and it leaves me feeling lethargic and can ruin my day. I do have a time limit on the app, but I constantly break it.

Would you say Social Media has had a positive or negative impact on your life? 

I suppose it would depend on how you categorise the impact. I have had unpleasant experiences on social media; I did experience bullying when I was younger, and sexual harassment. It has left long-lasting effects on me as a person.

However, it has had a positive impact as well. Instagram has provided a space for my creativity, a place to post my work, and promote my work.

It just feels so much about money. Like, big businesses are constantly trying to figure out how they can reach you and make more money from you. They make the apps as addictive as possible. They just want to monetise you and make as much as they can. They don’t focus on making it a safe space for young people to use.

The government is planning a total social media ban for under-16s by spring 2027. When you first heard that, what was your honest, immediate reaction? 

At first I thought it was a positive thing. But then I thought, how are they going to enforce it? It sounds like they are going to introduce some form of Digital ID, which makes me feel uncomfortable. It could really impact our personal freedom. 

Instead of punishing young people for a system adults created, there should be work with young people to understand how we use social media and make it safer to use.

Do you think politicians have an accurate understanding of the way young people use social media? 

No, I don’t, not at all really. 

I just think it is easier to fearmonger and scapegoat young people as the problem, rather than tackling the lobbying that goes on in government by the people who own these big businesses.

What about the tech companies who create the apps that you use- how much responsibility do they have? 

They have a massive responsibility in the world they have created. Look at Elon Musk and how he has transformed it into X. Twitter was such a useful space, and it has just been ruined.

Have you ever used social media to learn about a cause, share an issue, or support something you care about? 

Yes, I have; however, I do feel that it only has limited power. I don’t think social media activism does hold true power. Sometimes it has felt tokenistic. I don’t think it can replace physical protests. Obviously it plays a huge role in raising awareness, but activism is more than that, and we need to remember that.

Is there anything that worries you about the Social Media ban? 

Yes, a lot of issues; the main issue that really worries me is isolating a large group away from the world. It strips away everything they’ve known and the knowledge and opportunities from them they could reach through social media. 

If you could sit down with the Prime Minister for two minutes, what’s the one thing you’d want him to understand about what social media means to a teenager today? 

I would say there is a deeper understanding needed of how we use social media and the internet. There are many positives he is just ignoring. 

I’d also say I’m worried about these verification systems, and what they mean for our personal freedom.

It just feels like they are trying to collect more data and personal information about us. But for me, we are missing the point; if the online world was a safer product, would we need everything to be verified? And why would they need our personal information? 

Ultimately, a ban like this limits self-discovery and exposure to the world we live in. Yes, it needs to be safer, but we shouldn’t be totally banned from it. We need to be trusted to engage with the world around us.

To explore the wider context behind this conversation, read Rory’s article, What Could a Social Media Ban Mean for Youth Activism?, examining the proposed under-16 social media ban and its potential impact on young people.