Courtesy: Al Hakam, London.

Imagine for a moment a person sitting in deep contemplation, searching for meaning and considering their future against their past. For an hour, they wrestle with the questions of life. Then, all of a sudden, in pin-drop-intense silence, they notice their phone has reached 100% charge. The future could wait, but their scrolling could not.

This may seem like a mere joke, but it is simply the reality of the world we exist in today. Nearly every instant of our lives is umpired by screens. We can barely even check the weather without being drawn into a stream of notifications and content all demanding and vying for our attention. 

What was once a clear task has become an opportunity for distraction. The devices we depend on for convenience are designed to grab and hold our focus, making it more difficult than ever to be present or even simply free” for a moment. 

And so, it seems the UK has finally done it. Australia was the first to introduce such measures, and now the UK is set to follow suit. Social media platforms are soon to be banned for under-16s. Messaging services such as WhatsApp and Signal are not expected to be included in the ban, as they are generally viewed as communication tools rather than social media platforms. The changes are expected to come into effect by Spring 2027. 

Full Story: https://www.alhakam.org/world-scrolled-uk-social-media-ban-for-under-16s