Teen Goes Viral After She's Asked What She'll Do Now That The UK Has Banned Social Media For Kids 16 And Under

The U.K. has instituted a ban on social media, including Snapchat, YouTube, TikTok, and other platforms, for teens who are 16 or younger.

The ban aims to protect younger audiences from consuming potentially harmful or age-inappropriate content, and to encourage them to participate in activities that do not involve excessive screen time.

Some social and parental groups are fully in support of the ban, but now that the news has hit social media, people have thoughts, including the teens who are impacted by it.

After the ban was announced, a teenager was asked what she would do with her newfound time, and she deadpanned:

"Stare at the wall."

The teen may have unintentionally confirmed some people's concerns about social media.

Was she joking? Probably. But many found her response to be indicative of a much larger societal problem.

Adults have struggled to find free or affordable "third spaces" after many were repurposed or closed during the pandemic. Between that and funding cuts, teens have been impacted at least as much as adults.

They're too old for children's spaces, and many age-appropriate activities are typically expensive, which raises the question: what else are they supposed to do with their time?

It might be concerning to some that this teen's first reaction was to say, "stare at a wall," but it should be more concerning that people couldn't tell if she was joking.

As much as social media is associated with "doomscrolling" and other unhealthy activities, at least people can connect with friends and participate in digital communities.

With a decreasing number of accessible and affordable public spaces, and fewer bookstores and libraries, students have to get their education and entertainment through other sources, many of which have just been banned.

Once the ban has been in effect for a while, it will be interesting to see if there's any further discussion about offering funding to create new spaces that offer enrichment to the teen and young adult population.