A healthier digital ecosystem will not be created through regulation alone
Opinion
The social media under-16 ban is a moment for accountability – but regulation alone won’t fix the problem, says Bauer’s Simon Kilby.
The UK’s decision to restrict social media access for under-16s marks a significant moment in the ongoing debate around online safety, accountability and the role digital platforms play in society.
There will, understandably, be different views on whether this is the right intervention. Some will see it as an important step towards protecting young people online, while others will question whether restricting access tackles the underlying causes of the challenges we are seeing.
But whatever your perspective, the announcement reflects a wider recognition that the current model has not done enough to address the risks young people face in digital spaces. This intervention signals the scale of the challenge and the need for a more fundamental conversation about how online platforms are designed, governed, and held accountable.
Regulation plays an important role. It can help create clearer expectations around safety, transparency and responsibility and encourage platforms to put user wellbeing at the heart of their approach. But it is not the complete answer.
Regulation does not, on its own, address the bigger questions around how these platforms are designed to encourage prolonged engagement, how algorithms shape what people see, and the accountability behind the content users are exposed to.
These are complex challenges, and they require a collective response. A healthier digital ecosystem will not be created through regulation alone; it will come from the choices made by every organisation that shapes people’s online experiences.
That includes the advertising industry.
Advertising’s role in funding the media landscape comes with a shared responsibility
As brands and agencies continue to invest across digital platforms, we need to look beyond reach, scale, and performance metrics and consider the environments we help support.
The question should not only be “does this platform deliver results?” but also “does this platform align with the standards and values we want to be associated with?”
This is not about withdrawing from digital spaces or overlooking the value they provide. Social platforms have created huge opportunities for connection, creativity and expression. But it is about recognising that trust is built through responsible choices – and that those choices matter.
At its best, advertising can shape culture and influence behaviour. That means we have a responsibility to help create a digital environment that works for everyone, particularly younger audiences who are growing up in a world where online and offline experiences are increasingly connected.
The next chapter of digital media will not be defined by regulation alone, but by the choices we make as an industry. If legislation is required to protect young people from parts of the digital ecosystem, we should all be asking what that says about the ecosystem which has been created.
As an industry, we must be willing to ask harder questions, make more responsible choices, and help shape a digital future built on trust, transparency, and accountability.
The future of media will not be judged by the rules we respond to, but by the responsibility we choose to take.
Simon Kilby is managing director at Bauer Media Advertising