For an entire generation, social media has been part of growing up.

From sharing photos with friends to discovering trends, communities and opportunities, platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and other social networks have completely changed the way young people communicate.

However, as governments begin introducing stronger restrictions around children’s access to social media, a bigger question has emerged:

Are we protecting children from social media or are we finally questioning whether social media was ever designed for children in the first place?

Because the reality is simple:

The algorithm was never created for childhood.

The Algorithm Was Built for Attention, Not Development

Social media platforms are powered by algorithms. These systems analyse what users watch, like, comment on and interact with to recommend content that will keep them engaged.

The goal is simple: keep people online for as long as possible.

But a child using social media is not the same as an adult using social media.

Children and teenagers are still developing important skills such as:

• critical thinking
• emotional regulation
• understanding advertising and persuasion
• recognising harmful or misleading content

Yet they are often exposed to the same digital environments as adults.

The algorithm does not understand whether something is beneficial for a child. It understands engagement.

A teenager watching one video about appearance, anxiety, relationships or social comparison may quickly find their feed filled with similar content.

Not because the platform understands what they need, but because it has learned what keeps them watching.

This raises an important question:

Should systems designed to maximise attention be responsible for shaping a child’s online experience?

The Argument for Social Media Restrictions: Creating a Safer Digital Childhood

Supporters of social media restrictions argue that children deserve protection online.

In the physical world, society accepts that children need safeguards. There are age restrictions around certain products, films and activities because we recognise that children experience the world differently.

The argument is that the digital world should not be treated differently.

Children growing up in an online first society are navigating:

• constant comparison
• online pressure
• cyberbullying
• unrealistic standards of beauty and success
• the pressure to perform their lives publicly

A childhood shaped by likes, followers and algorithms creates new challenges that previous generations did not experience.

The Online Safety Act 2023: Who Is Responsible for Protecting Children Online?

For years, much of the responsibility for children’s online safety has been placed on parents.

Parents have been encouraged to monitor screen time, use parental controls and teach children how to behave online.

However, the introduction of the Online Safety Act 2023 represents a shift in thinking.

The law recognises that online platforms themselves have a responsibility to create safer digital environments.

Rather than viewing online safety as only a family issue, the legislation places greater expectations on technology companies to consider the risks their platforms may create, particularly for children.

This creates a bigger legal and ethical question:

If platforms know children are using their services, should those platforms be designed differently?

The Problem Is Not Only What Children See but How They Are Shown It

When discussing children and social media, conversations often focus on harmful content.

However, the issue goes deeper.

The design of platforms matters.

A recommendation algorithm decides what appears on a user’s feed. It influences what people watch, what trends become popular and what information users are exposed to.

The concern is that children may be placed into cycles of content without fully understanding how those systems influence them.

The question is no longer only:

Should children be allowed on social media?

It is:

Should companies be creating powerful recommendation systems without considering the impact on younger users?

But Is a Ban Enough?

While protecting children online is important, restrictions also raise difficult questions.

How do we balance safety with privacy?

How do we verify someone’s age online without creating unnecessary data collection?

And how do we ensure that children are protected without removing the positive parts of the internet?

Social media has allowed young people to:

• build communities
• express creativity
• learn new skills
• access educational resources

The challenge is not simply removing children from the digital world.

The challenge is creating a digital world that is responsible enough for them to exist in.

The Bigger Picture: The Future of Children Online

The debate around social media restrictions is not really just about phones.

It is about responsibility.

For years, the conversation has focused on whether children are spending too much time online.

But perhaps the bigger question is:

Are technology companies creating online spaces that are suitable for children?

The Online Safety Act 2023 shows a growing recognition that protecting children online cannot rely solely on parents and young people making perfect choices.

Platforms themselves have a role to play.

Technology is not the enemy. Social media has created opportunities, friendships and communities that did not exist before.

But a system designed around engagement, attention and profit was never automatically designed around childhood.

The algorithm was never created to raise a child.

The question now is whether the law, and the companies behind these platforms, can create a digital world that better protects the next generation.