Young islanders share mixed views on social media ban

Young people in the Channel Islands have expressed mixed views about the potential of a ban on using social media for under-16s.

The UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the plan on Monday, but it will not automatically come into force in Jersey and Guernsey.

Guernsey's Home Affairs committee said it would consider copying the ban, and Jersey's chief minister said the new Council of Ministers would consider steps to better protect young people online when it forms later this month.

Zahara Noho, 18, who is part of the Jersey Youth Assembly, said it would be better to regulate social media platforms more rather than implement a ban, but some children in Guernsey supported the move.

Noho said: "Most of the young people understand the need for it, but a lot of them will be against it."

Noho said some of them "won't fully understand why they're being punished for the actions of other people online".

Some people will find a way around the ban, she said, and suggested regulating social media and working with young people "would be a better option".

She urged politicians considering their options in Jersey to talk to young islanders.

"The younger people... want to have their voices heard with decisions that are being made about them," she said.

Jersey's youngest ever politician Gabriel Raimondo who has just been elected as Deputy for St Brelade just after his 18th birthday said: "I think it's slightly crazy.

"I think it's a bit extreme."

He added social media can have "damaging effects, but I think it's more about managing it rather than just getting rid of social media altogether".

"There's lots and lots of positives and as we move into a modern age we ultimately need to see technology move that way, we need to see people learn how to use it," he said.

Guernsey students from Blanchelande College said a ban might mean they would spend more time pursuing hobbies or with friends.

Evie said the ban was "a good idea, especially for certain apps out there," whilst Charlie said "it would encourage people to spend less time on their phones".

Florence thought "more people would want to go outside and hang out with their friends".

They said they were concerned about some trends on social media and about people being joined "to groups that they don't want to be in and not nice things happen".

Jersey father-of-three Jeff Williams said: "Keeping children safe from any form of e-bullying and that sort of thing is absolutely crucial."

He added: "If it's right for the UK then it would be right for here."

He said there is always a risk of a minority of people exploring the dark web if banned from social media but thought a ban "would probably protect the majority".

In his speech, Sir Keir said social media was making children unhappy, making it easier for bullies to abuse children, and was "designed to be addictive".

Follow BBC Guernsey on X and Facebook. Follow BBC Jersey on X and Facebook. Send your story ideas to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk.