The UK government has begun consulting on a possible Australian-style ban on social media for under-16s, citing rising concerns about mental health, online abuse and harmful content. The Independent visited FlippGen and Beyond’s The Table, a youth-led discussion on online safety, to hear what young people think about it, with some branding the proposals as "attacking the symptoms rather than the root cause.” 16-year-old Jaan said, “I’ve had leukemia for three years. During the whole process, I felt incredibly isolated... connecting with friends through social media has helped me so much.” The Independent takes a closer look at an issue dividing the generations.

The UK government has begun consulting on a possible Australian-style ban on social media for under-16s, citing rising concerns about mental health, online abuse and harmful…

The UK government has begun consulting on a possible Australian-style ban on social media for under-16s, citing rising concerns about mental health, online abuse and harmful…

Parents, teachers and young people share their views on whether social media restrictions would work in the UK