Should Under-16s Be Banned From Social Media? | What Parents & Schools Need to Know

<p>Should under-16s be banned from social media?</p><p><br></p><p>In this episode of the SLT Podcast, Ziggy and Rena discuss the proposed under-16 social media ban and what it could mean for young people, parents, schools, and safeguarding.</p><p>The conversation explores whether a ban can realistically be enforced, how children may try to find loopholes, and what happens when social media — one of the main ways many young people socialise, build identity, and stay connected — is suddenly removed.</p><p>Ziggy and Rena also unpack the deeper question: if social media is taken away, what replaces it?</p><p>From family routines and after-school activities to school buildings, community partnerships, youth provision, pastoral support, online bullying, phone use, and the pressure placed on schools to solve wider societal problems, this episode asks what adults need to do before the ban arrives.</p><p>This is not just a conversation about apps.</p><p>It is a conversation about safeguarding, parenting, community, identity, attention, and the future of childhood in a digital-first world.</p><p>💬 “You cannot remove something without replacing it.”</p><p>Sponsored by Uniform Education, the official recruitment sponsor of the SLT Podcast.</p><p>In partnership with Step Up Network.</p><p>📱 Join Our FREE WhatsApp Community<br>→ ‎<a href="https://chat.whatsapp.com/LiTpC4FbUA2CqWHP1Mcrwz">https://chat.whatsapp.com/LiTpC4FbUA2CqWHP1Mcrwz</a></p><p>📲 Follow Us:<br>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/the_slt_podcast">https://www.instagram.com/the_slt_podcast</a><br>TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@slt.podcast">https://www.tiktok.com/@slt.podcast</a></p><p>Listen to us on the go:<br>Spotify: <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/13hI6StbuMcYhX8LmYtt5S?si=73aaabe9fa394d43">https://open.spotify.com/show/13hI6StbuMcYhX8LmYtt5S?si=73aaabe9fa394d43</a><br>Apple Podcast: <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-slt-podcast-serious-leaders-talking/id1778833145">https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-slt-podcast-serious-leaders-talking/id1778833145</a></p><p>⸻</p><p>⏰ Chapters:<br>0:00 - Sponsor intro: Uniform Education<br>0:45 - Welcome back to the SLT Podcast<br>1:57 - New partnership announcement: Step Up Network<br>4:23 - Today’s topic: the under-16 social media ban<br>5:14 - What apps could be affected?<br>6:10 - Questions around enforcement and loopholes<br>7:23 - Is the ban too late?<br>8:26 - Can a social media ban actually work?<br>9:28 - Social media addiction and family life<br>10:33 - You cannot remove something without replacing it<br>12:36 - What will children do without social media?<br>13:47 - The opportunity for parents and schools<br>14:41 - Project-based learning and rethinking homework<br>16:14 - How could this affect schools pastorally?<br>17:33 - After-school provision, clubs, and community use of schools<br>20:16 - What should headteachers and MAT leaders consider?<br>22:30 - How will children feel about the ban?<br>23:27 - Social media, identity, and daily routines<br>25:48 - What young people may lose socially<br>27:55 - Adolescence, Netflix, and social media conversations<br>28:36 - Attention spans, scrolling, and adverts<br>29:24 - Treating social media loss as a real adjustment<br>31:15 - Phones, parents, and school rules<br>33:10 - Final thoughts on spring 2027<br>34:10 - Why SLT Podcast avoids rage-bait controversy<br>37:26 - Like, share, subscribe, and final reflections</p><p>⸻</p><p>📢 About SLT Podcast:<br>Hosted by Rena Johnson — Deputy Head, Designated Teacher, SENDco &amp; DSL — and Ziggy Moore — Assistant Headteacher &amp; Founder of Moore Education — the SLT Podcast is a bi-weekly series featuring powerful conversations with leaders doing impactful work in education and youth development.</p><p>Each episode creates space for honest discussion around education, safeguarding, leadership, school culture, parents, young people, and the real issues affecting schools today.</p><p>#SLTPod