A Teen Social Media Ban is Politician-Friendly, But It is Not Kid-Proof

Mohit Rajhans take

Every time the “ban social media for teens” conversation flares up, it feels like adults trying to solve a messy cultural problem with a clean legal gesture. It is understandable. It is emotional. It is also a little bit fantasy.

The Independent’s argument is basically this: a blanket ban is clumsy, teenagers will route around it, and the real fix is media literacy for kids and adults, plus actual platform accountability.

I’m with that, with one important addition: in 2026, this is not just “social media.” It is AI-shaped social media, which means we are not teaching kids how to “use apps,” we are teaching them how to live inside persuasion engines.

Why bans feel good, and why they often fail in practice

A ban is simple to explain and easy to announce. It signals control. It gives parents a storyline.

But in real life, bans do three predictable things:

They push behaviour underground. Kids do not stop. They migrate to group chats, alt accounts, VPNs, smaller platforms, or whatever is least supervised. The Independent points out the “false sense of safety” problem and that harms can shift elsewhere online.

They punish the average kid while the worst actors adapt fastest. The teens at risk, or already being targeted, are not saved by a headline.

They let platforms and governments off the hook. We end up arguing about parenting choices instead of product design and enforcement.

If your policy is “good kids will comply,” it is not a policy. It is a hope.

Posts tagged DadsRajhans

Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Children's Online Experiences

Understanding AI's Role in Shaping the Digital Lives of the Younger Generation

How kids are cashing in online - CP24 Mohit Rajhans, Dadspotting

Mohit Rajhans on the Social Media Shift and helping Kids with Commerce online.

Content Central, Culture KingMohit RajhansNovember 30, 2023Dads, DadsRajhans, Mohit Rajahns, Dadspotting, Fathers, Fatherhood, Parenting, thinkstart, deep, topics, media, trend, digital media, resources, mohit rajhans, Rajhans, City, Toronto, Parenting Strategies, Speaker

The Internet Made me Buy It - Dadspotting's Mohit Rajhans on Digital Gift Giving

Dadspotting Co-Founder - Mohit Rajhans on the how Social Media Shopping has changing the way we shop online and the trends here to stay beyond 2022. Clip from CH Morning Live.