# The uncomfortable truth about banning under 16s from social media

An episode of [The Big Tech Show](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1325667441), 18 Jun 2026, 32 min.

Audio: https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/fdd7ab40-270d-4a1e-a257-acd200da1324/d50701f5-5236-4ba4-923c-ae720077f299/c2116dd7-a41f-42b2-a288-b46c00ce4256/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=345e22e8-39c0-4bd5-b31a-ae720077f2ac

Title • The uncomfortable truth about banning under 16s from social media Description/Copy Should Ireland follow the UK and ban social media for under 16s? Adrian is joined by JJ Clarke to examine why many child safety experts argue that bans do not work and may even create new risks for young people online. The discussion looks at Ireland's plans for age verification, the challenge of enforcing existing rules, and why regulators in Brussels are increasingly focused on forcing platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and Facebook to change algorithms that drive addictive content. Why you can trust the Irish Independent: learn about our editorial guidelines and AI use See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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