Don’t Stop Listening to Teens Now
With the UK Government announcing plans to introduce a social media ban for under-16s, the debate will now shift from whether restrictions should happen to what happens next.
The goal of keeping young people safe online is one that few would disagree with. But if there is one lesson from decades of youth engagement, it's that policies affecting young people are rarely successful when young people themselves are absent from the conversation.
The risk now is that, having made a decision, policymakers, platforms and adults move on. They shouldn't.
If anything, this is the moment when listening to young people becomes even more important. Because while adults may make the rules, teens are the experts in how digital life is actually lived.
Young people are the experts
Public conversations about social media often frame teenagers as passive consumers of technology, vulnerable to whatever platforms are placed in front of them. The reality is much more nuanced.
Young people are sophisticated users of technology. They navigate multiple platforms, manage complex social networks, create content, learn new skills and develop identities in digital spaces every day.
Like adults, they experience both the benefits and challenges of being online. And like adults, they are often far more aware of those trade-offs than we give them credit for.
For more than a decade, Livity has worked to bring young people's voices into policy and decision-making. That's why we partnered with Google and YouTube on The Future Report, exploring how teenagers across ten European countries are experiencing technology today.
The UK report, launched last week, is incredibly relevant at this point in time and offers an important reminder that young people's relationship with technology is not defined solely by risk. It is also shaped by opportunity.
Technology Is Where Young People Learn, Connect and Participate
The teenagers we spoke to described technology as an important tool for learning, discovery and connection.
Nearly seven in ten regularly discover new topics, interests or hobbies online. Many use digital platforms to learn new things, keep up with current affairs and explore perspectives beyond their immediate surroundings.
Young people told us about using online video and search platforms to learn everything from piano playing and archery to coding and creative skills.
They use technology to understand global events, learn about different cultures and engage with issues that matter to them.
Increasingly, AI is becoming part of that experience too.
Most teenagers now use AI tools regularly for learning, but their use goes far beyond simply finding answers. Young people described using AI to explain difficult concepts, create revision aids, develop learning games and even generate songs to help remember complex topics.
These findings paint a picture of a generation that is digitally confident, curious and resourceful.
Yet these benefits are often overlooked in discussions about online safety.
Safety Matters. But Bans Alone Are Not a Safety Strategy.
Young people in our research were not naïve about the risks they face online. They spoke openly about concerns around trust, misinformation, harmful content, privacy and wellbeing.
In fact, many are actively calling for safer and more age-appropriate online experiences. But what stood out was that they weren't asking adults to make decisions for them. They were asking to be involved in shaping solutions.
That's an important distinction.
The introduction of age restrictions or platform bans may form part of a broader approach to child safety. But no single policy can address the full complexity of young people's digital lives.
Safety is not just about limiting access. It's also about building the knowledge, confidence and critical thinking skills that help young people navigate digital spaces throughout their lives. Whether it's recognising misinformation, understanding how algorithms shape what they see, protecting their privacy or using AI responsibly, education remains one of the most effective forms of online protection. And improved digital literacy is one thing we’ve seen teens consistently ask for across all 8 participating countries of the Future Report.
Effective online safety depends on understanding how young people actually behave online, where risks emerge, what support they need and what protections work in practice. It requires regulation, platform responsibility, parental support and education working together - not in isolation.
And the only people who can tell us how those measures will work in practice are young people themselves.
Nothing About Young People Without Young People
The social media ban may be a significant policy milestone, but it should not be the end of the discussion.
If we genuinely want to create a safer digital future, we need to continue listening to the people who know that future best.
Young people understand the opportunities technology creates. They understand the risks. And they understand how digital experiences could be improved.
The challenge now is ensuring their voices remain part of the decisions that come next.
Because when it comes to young people's digital lives, the most effective solutions won't come from talking about them.
They'll come from building them with them.
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