Mumsnet calls for under-16s social media ban with cigarette-style health warnings | Young people

Mumsnet has launched a campaign to ban under-16s from social media sites with health warnings similar to those on cigarette packets.

The intentionally provocative national ad campaign calls for a ban on all social media for children under 16. Images on billboards and social media contain a number of crude health-related statements.

They claim that “three or more hours on social media a day makes teens more likely to self-harm,” that phone addiction among teens doubles the risk of anxiety, that social media use may increase the risk of eating disorders among youth, and that addictive use of social media among teens is linked to a higher risk of suicidal behavior.

The adverts ask people to email their MP and “demand a ban on social media for under-16s”.

Justine Roberts, founder of Mumsnet, announced the launch of the campaign. She said: “Families live with the damage caused by social media every day. It’s not about parents failing to set boundaries. It’s about children being exposed to products deliberately designed to be addictive. Parents are watching the consequences unfold in real time: compulsive consumption, loss of sleep, increasing anxiety and loss of self-esteem, while the companies responsible continue to make a profit.”

“The idea that this can be fixed with better parenting or more counseling is a convenient fiction. You can’t outrun a business model built on addiction. This campaign highlights the damage caused by phone addiction among under-16s and calls on politicians to stop hand-wringing and take decisive action to protect children from addictive technologies.”

The adverts are the latest step in Mumsnet’s Rage Against the Screen campaign, which aims to increase regulation of young people’s access to social media. A spring 2025 survey of the platform’s users found that 92% of parents are concerned about the effect of social media on their children’s mental health and that more than 60% believe their child is addicted to their phone or social media.

Sedona Jamieson, a student suffering from mental illness, welcomed the campaign. She said: “At 15, when I began suffering from anxiety, depression and eating disorders, I turned to social media in the hope of finding support. Instead, I discovered a darker side of the internet: so-called ‘recovery’ spaces saturated with harmful content, including pro-anorexia, self-harm and suicide. Rather than offering help, these spaces risked deepening the very struggles I was trying to overcome.

“As young people, our developing brains make us particularly sensitive to what we consume online, so it is essential that digital platforms prioritize the protection and responsible moderation of content.”

Last week, the Prime Minister promised measures to restrict under-16s’ access to social media in “months, not years”, although this does not necessarily mean a total ban.

England’s Children’s Commissioner, Dame Rachel de Souza, would not comment on the campaign. However, she said that while measures to boost online safety were essential, a ban on social media for under-16s would not provide an “immediate guarantee” that children would be safer online.

“Any ban on social media should be enforced in such a way that it does not drive children to other, darker parts of the internet,” she said.

A government spokesperson said: “Parents are deeply concerned about the effects of social media on their children, and we are determined to do something about it.

“Our rapid consultation will cover everything from age limits and safer design features to banning social media. We are listening to a wide range of voices, including parents, teachers, young people and experts, to give young people the childhood they deserve and prepare them for the future. We will set out our plans this summer.”

The Royal College of Psychiatrists said in a statement: “Protecting children’s mental health must be a public health priority, whether they are online or interacting with the world outside of social media. This includes ensuring that there are effective, properly funded mental health services for children and young people.”

“More and more evidence suggests that early and unrestricted access to social media can have a lasting and detrimental impact on young people’s mental health.

“The Royal College of Psychiatrists has long argued that the online environment can expose children to harmful content and experiences before they are developmentally ready to process them.

“This type of exposure puts them at risk and could increase their risk of developing mental illnesses. There are also associations with suicidal thoughts, emotional dysregulation and self-esteem issues.

“Stricter regulation of social media providers is needed. In our view, they should be forced to share more of their anonymized data with independent researchers so that we can develop a better understanding of the relationship between algorithms, online activity and mental health.”

“Parents and guardians can also support their child by openly discussing how to stay safe on their smartphone and online. It is also important to balance screen time with other activities such as socializing, exercising and sleeping.”