Upon learning of Starmer's crusade against children under 16 watching YouTube, my 10-year-old son commented: "He's proposing it now because his own children have just turned 16." This surprised me, as I wasn't even aware or remembering he had children. I looked it up and apparently he has two, born in 2008 and, crucially, 2010! So far, I found it the most revealing comment I heard about the whole shebang.

Australia banned under 16s from social media back in December 6 months on, the effect has been minimal. Supposedly 5 million accounts have been deactivated, but 78% of under 16s reportedly still access the apps and websites that are theoretically banned. Prior to the ban, it was 84%, so the ban’s effect is essentially null

This announcement reflects legitimate concerns about children's safety online, but a ban of this scale would change how children access and experience the digital world. The UK Government must ensure that any decisions are informed by children themselves and by independent experts. We are concerned that a blanket ban may look protective on paper, but instead pushes children into less regulated spaces, where they are less likely to seek help when something goes wrong. Children growing up in poverty are likely to be among those most affected. If ministers want to make the online world safer, the answer is not simply keeping children off platforms. The focus must be on providing better support for parents by making platforms safer by design, tackling addictive and high-risk features such as stranger contact, live streaming, nudification tools and unsafe AI systems, so that children are not exposed to harm online.

It isn't conspiracy, though, is it? The only way to bar under-16s from social media is to mandate proof of age for everyone, creating a mass database of Digital ID, giving “powerful actors” the means to track anyone, including UK Govt for ‘safeguarding’. So @elonmusk is right.

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BINGO There are already parental controls on routers, accounts, and smartphones to regulate: A The apps they can download B The websites they can access C The time they can spend D The people they can talk to Just because some parents are lazy, it doesn't mean this makes sense.

So, the child here isn't allowed to go on YouTube. But her mother is happy to post her crying on X for everyone to comment on.

This is the introduction of Digital ID through the backdoor. "Is it not frustrating having to give out your ID constantly and reverify? Here is one single ID with all your data and biometrics on it to sign in to everything; oh, and it tracks all your activity"

Starmers plan will just push the problem underground and make in more difficult for parents to protect their children.

Congratulations @Keir_Starmer You’ve once again identified a problem- social media use for children- and once again made a complete pigs ear of trying to solve it. It won’t solve the problem. It won’t stop children accessing harmful apps It won’t stop adults contacting children on those apps It will make parents think the issue is solved when it isn’t You’ve put virtue above actually making things better- yet again.

Banning teenagers from social media with ludicrous conditions is unworkable, unrealistic and unwanted. Here’s a mad idea - let parents parent. Not the state, but mums, dads, grandparents or whoever else. Restore Britain will always trust the family over big government.

STARMER says kids will get around his social media ban (as the vast majority do in Australia) but argues a law’s ineffectiveness should not prevent its introduction.

Again, it seems the people cheering this on are people too lazy to actually parent their kids and teach them how to safely use social media and the internet, and set up parental controls. Stripping away access to free education (YouTube) and much more is outright bad

You can have a job Join the army Play the lottery Conceive children And if Labour get their way - vote. But you can’t go on snap chat when you want Mental.