TLDR: A social media ban would disproportionately affect LGBTQIA+ young people, who rely on the platforms to connect with other queer people in ways that their heterosexual counterparts aren’t reliant on, campaigners are warning.
There is a growing consensus in UK politics that a social media ban is required to curb the harms these platforms create for young people. But campaigners are warning a ban would be a 'blunt instrument', that would instead disincentivise the tech companies from taking steps to reduce the harm users face.
Government ministers, including Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who is gay, has said the UK should follow Australia in implementing a ban. Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, has told PM Keir Starmer, to 'hurry up' and do it, as 60 Labour MPs have supported a backbench Conservative amendment which would tag the policy on to the Children, Wellbeing and Schools Bill - The Guardian
However, the PM has said he wants to see evidence from the Australian ban before committing to the policy - BBC
Ahead of its implementation in Australia, a number of warnings were made about how it would disproportionately harm LGBTQIA+ young people - especially in the most rural areas.
A study in Australia found that more than half (51%) of LGBTQ+ youth between 14 and 17 years old say they feel as if they can be more themselves online than in person, compared to the national average of 40%. It also found queer teenagers were more likely than the national average to discuss private things online that they don’t talk about face-to-face (45% compared with 27%) - The Guardian
Despite this, Brianna Ghey's mother has been at the helm of a call for this policy, this week writing a letter saying before her murder she had a social media addiction. Her killers had spent time on the dark web looking at illegal content - The Guardian
What campaigners are saying
Privacy campaigner Kyle Taylor concurs, telling QueerAF that if the aim is to improve safety and reduce harms, this policy will have the opposite effect.
He argues it gives the tech giants a 'get out of jail' free card - because instead of improving their apps, they can rest on their laurels, knowing they now don't have to make them safer for children.
"It's a reactionary measure that suggests by default that these platforms are dangerous for children, as opposed to the reality that by just banning young people, we're saying to the companies, you no longer have to build safety by design into the product. It's a complete relief for the platforms - and puts all the pressure on government and parents instead."
Taylor says that while we should be concerned about suicide prevention and harmful content on online platforms, policy decisions should also be guided by the values that regulated social media can bring, and that this is especially true for those outside of built-up areas.
"It's equally important that those from marginalised and disparate communities who are geographically isolated and looking to connect with people who are like them [can] find their tribe, build community and get support, which is particularly acute for the LGBTQIA+ community."
An Australian study of queer youth found eight in ten (82%) of them were concerned a social media ban would leave them disconnected, with nine in ten (91%) saying social media had helped them find friends - ABC
Analysis: A 'blunt tool', that will do more harm than good - when regulation is the answer
Since the Online Safety Act, which also ignored warnings of a possible disproportionate impact on LGBTQIA+ people, VPN use is up on some apps by ridiculous percentages - as high as 1400% for some providers in the UK.
In Australia, VPN downloads similarly surged ahead of the ban, suggesting that many are simply bypassing the ban altogether and reducing its effectiveness.
By enforcing its own ban, the UK could miss out on an opportunity to instead make social media a better place for everyone. Bans are easy to get around, and restricting whole platforms forces people off them.
We already have a vast array of laws that ban illegal content; what is lacking is regulation and enforcement where the tech giants don't step in and fix problems they've let fester.
If policymakers were prepared to understand the nuances instead of reaching for clickbait-worthy policy announcements, they'd be able to solve a range of issues on social media. Not least the harmful misinformation and AI slop that is being used to divide our communities.
I've said this before, and I'll say it again - this is a pivotal moment for the world.
It's an acutely scary one for anyone from an underrepresented background, whether they be LGBTQIA+, Black, migrant or otherwise marginalised.
But that doesn't mean the future is hopeless. Far from it.
I've been proudly pursuing a queer militant agenda ever since I could stick a rainbow badge on my t-shirt. I know, so well, that we're a freakin' bunch who don’t take no for an answer.
Trust us when we say, in a new age of deep fakes making cash for tech bros, a crisis lack of investment the LGBTQIA+ charity sector, and continued misinformation about us from the mainstream press, we are going to double down on our efforts to:
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