George Bacon built his career on social media. Now, at 27, his support for the UK’s upcoming ban on under-16s using social platforms has drawn attention in his field.
Bacon, who founded a social publisher/agency hybrid, calls the rule a practical safeguard for an industry that has failed to protect its youngest users. “Some content isn’t appropriate for children under 16, and most people likely agree,” he said.
Statistics reveal the scale of the issue. Nearly all UK children own a mobile phone by age 11, and 99% are active online, according to House of Commons Library data. Bacon finds those numbers unsettling when compared to his own childhood. “If I think about my daily life at 11, the contrast makes me uneasy,” he said.
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Online bullying remains widespread. Ofcom research shows four in 10 UK children aged eight to 17 have experienced harassment, mostly through devices rather than in person. Bacon argues that moderation at scale is unrealistic, and a clear age limit removes the burden from platforms making countless daily decisions.
Previous age restrictions existed but were poorly enforced. “Rules differ across platforms, so expecting change is unrealistic,” he said. “Consistency is the only way forward.”
Bacon acknowledges that teenagers will resist the change. He recalls his own digital boundaries—no Xbox until 13, no Blackberry until his teens. Facebook required users to be 13, and he rarely used Twitter before creating content at 14 or 15. “My parents’ rules felt unfair then, but I appreciate them now,” he said.
Adolescents, he explains, lack the ability to self-regulate. “Their brains are still developing, and everything feels unjust at that age,” he said. “Asking them to set limits on platforms that distort human behavior is unreasonable.”
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Critics raise concerns about enforcement, privacy, and government overreach. Some brands depend on reaching younger users through these platforms. Bacon counters that waiting for a flawless solution means no progress. “We’ve had age limits before,” he said. “The difference now is evidence showing why they’re needed.”
Younger audiences won’t vanish. They’ll move to gaming, podcasts, or live events, forcing brands to adapt. “This isn’t about finding loopholes,” Bacon said. “It’s about getting creative with engagement.”
Despite his work, Bacon limits his own screen time. He checks social media for 15 to 20 minutes in the morning and before bed. The rest of the day, he stays focused on the present.
Breaking the habit wasn’t easy. When viral trends drive client strategies, stepping away can feel like a missed opportunity. Yet he persists. “Burnout can turn passion into resentment, and I don’t want that for my work,” he said.
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Social media, at its core, provides connection and humor. That’s the part of the internet worth preserving, he says—not the unchecked exposure of children to adult-oriented platforms.
“Protecting young users isn’t an attack on the industry,” he said. “This ban will change how a generation forms its identity, and that’s the goal, not a flaw.”
For someone who has witnessed social media’s highs and lows, the choice is clear.