Webinar: Going Beyond Binary: Re-thinking Social Media Bans and Children’s Online Safety

This session will move beyond the increasingly polarised question of whether social media bans are simply for or against children’s safety. Instead, it will explore what the evidence tells us about harm, vulnerability and child development and consider which policy approaches are most likely to lead to meaningful improvements in children’s safety and wellbeing as well as their rights online.

At a time when governments across multiple jurisdictions are considering stronger restrictions on children’s access to social media, important questions remain about the strength of the evidence base and the proportionality of different responses. Equally, we need to better understand the broader implications for children’s rights, participation and inclusion in digital spaces. This webinar will bring together a small group of researchers and expert voices with differing perspectives to unpack these issues in a constructive, balanced and evidence-informed discussion.

The conversation will explore questions such as:

✅ What features of harm are most strongly supported by the current evidence and which children may be most vulnerable and why?

✅ What are the strengths and limitations of different policy responses, including bans, design reform, regulation and education?

✅ The discussion will also consider complements and/or alternatives to bans, and what regulatory matrix is required to work towards a thriving digital ecosystem for children.

✅ What might proportionate, evidence-informed policy look like in practice?

The session will take the form of a moderated discussion rather than a traditional panel. Each speaker will offer a short opening reflection before joining a structured conversation, followed by audience questions submitted in advance. Our aim is to create space for a more nuanced and constructive dialogue than is often possible in wider public debate.