'Social media should be treated like tobacco': Health experts say internet is as bad as smoking for under-16s, as UK government moves closer to introducing ban

Medical report compares social media threats to smoking
Medical Professionals Encouraged to Ask Young Patients About Screen Time
The UK government is considering a complete ban on social media use for under-16s, but some are calling for a different approach.

Health experts have compared the health risks of social media use by young people to the dangers of smoking, as the UK government moves closer to introducing a social media ban for under-16s.

The Academy of Royal Colleges of Medicine in the United Kingdom states in a report that the use of social media poses significant harm to children who are “continually exposed to hateful, addictive and extremely distressing content.” The report, launched as part of the government’s consultation process, also says young people’s use of social media now goes alongside smoking and wearing seatbelts “as a unifying force for the medical profession”.

The report also highlights the responsibility of medical professionals in protecting children, saying doctors should now ask them about their screen time and social media use when first assessing them. Half of the 454 medical professionals surveyed by the academy said they treated a child with mental health problems linked to social media at least once a week.

Weighing the pros and cons

While many parents, family groups and health professionals favor some form of government action, opinion is divided on what form it should take.

Some argue that imposing a blanket ban on those under 16 could be counterproductive and actually cause greater harm, as it could lead young people to search for prohibited content on the dark web, or even leave them without equipment to browse online content when they turn 16.

Molly Rose Foundation president Ian Russell said instead of an outright ban, existing laws should be enforced for a more holistic approach. The organization was founded and named after Molly Rose, a teenager who lost her life in 2017 after being exposed to harmful content through social media.

Critics of a blanket ban have pointed to Australia, which introduced a broad crackdown on youth use of social media in December 2025, banning children under 16 from having accounts on major social media platforms.

A recent study by the Molly Rose Foundation revealed that 60% of those under 16 were still using platforms like TikTok and Instagram, even though these services were required to close the accounts of underage users.

Since that study was published, the United Kingdom has been experimenting with restrictive features before considering a broader ban. In March, the UK government launched a pilot scheme in which it tested screen time limits and curfews in 300 teenagers’ homes to test different types of bans.

Additionally, additional restrictive measures such as disabling autoplay features and infinite scrolling are also being considered to prevent young users from becoming trapped in endless webs of potentially harmful content.

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