LONDON, U.K.: British teenagers say social media plays a complex role in their lives, even as the government considers whether to follow Australia's lead in banning platforms for users under 16.

While many acknowledge the risks of excessive screen time and harmful content, several teens say social media remains central to how they communicate, learn, and express themselves and question whether a government ban would be effective.

Britain is exploring stronger restrictions on social media use among young people amid growing concerns about the impact of online platforms on children's mental health. Officials have launched a public consultation, open until May, seeking views on possible measures, including age-based limits similar to Australia's ban on under-16s.

Students aged 16 to 18 at a school in south London said that platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok help them stay connected with friends, build relationships, and discover new ideas.

At the same time, many said they were aware that social media apps are designed to keep users engaged for long periods.

Hours Spent Scrolling

"During the summer, I'd spend around eight hours a day on just TikTok," said Awand Khdir, 17, adding that the platform often involves endless scrolling. "But now it's more like three or four hours. It's still not good."

"Doom scrolling is an issue on its own, but... the content that you see sometimes, especially on TikTok, there's a lot of dodgy stuff."

Major platforms say they have introduced tools to protect younger users.

Snapchat said it provides age-specific protections for users aged 13 to 17, including private accounts by default and restrictions on access to public profiles.

Instagram said its Teen Accounts include controls for sensitive content and offer supervision tools for parents and guardians.

TikTok said teen accounts include a 60-minute daily screen-time limit and prompts encouraging users to log off after 10 p.m., while also restricting content that may be inappropriate for younger users.

However, the teenagers interviewed said it was often easy to bypass such controls.

Debate Over a Ban

Although parents and some policymakers support stricter rules, several researchers say there is little evidence that banning social media for teenagers would solve the problem.

Amy Orben, a research professor at the University of Cambridge, said the impact of social media varies widely among young people.

"The online world, like the offline world, is very complex and its impacts will be very dynamic," she said.

Some teenagers said social media can serve as a break from everyday pressures. Sumiksha Senthuran, 16, said "mindlessly scrolling" could offer relief from exam stress.

Elizabeth Alayande, 17, said social media could help people build confidence and identity. "You can express yourself by posting videos or just relating with other people... and I don't think it's the biggest waste of time if you spread it out evenly with other priorities," she said.

Still, students also described encountering harmful content and online abuse. "Sometimes it's quite negative because all you see is bad stuff… it's quite tiring," said Teyanna Charley, 17.

Vish Ragutharan, 16, who runs a film blog, said that sharing content online can attract both supportive and critical responses.

He said negative reactions were a "real disadvantage". Others pointed to pressures created by social media imagery. "When you see other girls on TikTok, you kind of want to look like them. And that's really crushing people's self-esteem," said Joelle Azebaze Ayangma, 18.

Challenges of Enforcement

Despite acknowledging these risks, many teenagers remain sceptical about whether a ban would work.

Ali Raza, 16, said he uses social media to communicate with relatives living abroad. Dua Arshia, 16, warned that restrictions could push teenagers toward less regulated platforms.

Leah Osando, 17, said enforcing a ban would be difficult.

"Even if children get banned... they'll go onto the dark web or use a VPN," she said.

Experts say similar concerns have already emerged elsewhere.

Industry data suggests that about one-fifth of Australian teenagers under 16 continued using social media two months after the country introduced its ban, raising questions about how effectively age restrictions can be enforced.

Several researchers argue that policymakers should instead focus on requiring social media companies to build safer platforms.

"They are designed to harness attention, and ... young people are increasingly saying that they struggle to get off," Orben said.

Julia Davidson, a professor of child online safety at the University of East London, said enforcement would also be difficult because many teenagers already use social media before reaching the minimum age.

"How are we going to enforce a ban with 14 and 15-year-olds who have grown up with it and built extensive networks?" she said.

Sonia Livingstone of the London School of Economics said policymakers risk adopting the wrong solution.

She described a ban as "a very blunt hammer to crack a nut". Instead, she said governments should demand stronger safeguards from technology companies.

"Safety by design… without eliminating children's access to the digital world, which is what they want and have a right to," she said.