Beyond the Wall: Replacing Social Media for Under-16s

When a Lancashire schoolgirl was asked what she would do if the social media ban for under-16s came into effect, her answer hit a national nerve: “Stare at a wall,” she deadpanned. The clip went viral, not least because it distilled a question many parents have been asking themselves about the consequences of the government’s plan.

The answer, says Arran Wilson, of The Wildlife Trusts is not simply to tell children to go outside, read a book or join a club. “It’s not as simple as that,” Wilson says. “We need to think about the world we’ve been raising them in.”

But nor, however, should parents institute a hunt for the perfect substitute for TikTok or Instagram. “Kids don’t go on social media because they love social media per se,” the children’s author Rob Biddulph says. “They go there looking for connection and for belonging – and for entertainment and inspiration.”

The challenge, he says, is not to replace social media itself, it is to replace the things it provides.

Find your people

One reason social media is so hard to replace is that many teenagers use it to keep up with friends and find others who share their interests.

At the Scouts, Simon Carter says one of their biggest attractions is that they bring young people into contact with others outside their friendship circles. Film clubs, youth theatres and music projects offer similar opportunities: BFI film clubs bring young people together to make films in teams. Youth Music-supported projects include everything from DJing, podcasting and gaming to organising gigs.

Libraries and bookshops can play a similar role: many now host gaming sessions, manga clubs, creative workshops, reading groups and book clubs.

Youth organisations are not the only route to connection. Wilson recommends environmental activism for older children. Sally Kettle, the deputy chief guide at Girlguiding, recommends volunteering at community events, helping local charities or mentoring younger children. “Purpose and connection are two of the things many young people are actually seeking when they go online,” she says.

Museums, galleries and dance organisations are another option. The free National Saturday Club runs weekly sessions for 13- to 16-year-olds at museums, galleries, universities and cultural venues across the UK, where young people can try everything from art, design and photography to creative writing and film-making. Many museums now run youth panels and creative projects. Arts Council-supported programmes include the National Youth Dance Company and local youth dance groups around the country.

Replace scrolling with challenges

John Glancy, of the National Trust, believes parents should start by asking their children why their favourite social media platform and video game appeals to them.

“The answer might reveal they’re searching for a sense of identity, stimulation or a sense of achievement,” he says. “Once you know which it is, it becomes easier to find alternatives.”

Joe Doherty, of Outward Bound, cautions against expecting too much, too quickly. “We can’t just expect children to switch off their screens one day and walk up a hill the next,” he says.

Instead, he recommends activities that offer rewards – be it novelty, progression or excitement – not entirely dissimilar to social media. Geocaching turns a walk into a treasure hunt. MapRun combines running, navigation and problem-solving challenges. Bouldering allows young people to work their way up increasingly difficult routes.

Kettle recommends “micro-adventures”: exploring an unfamiliar neighbourhood or setting yourself a challenge to discover something new within a mile of home.

Make something instead

Biddulph spent much of his own childhood making comics. Today he encourages children to write fan fiction, inventing sequels to their favourite books or drawing scenes from stories they love.

At National Youth Theatre workshops around the country, young people write, perform and tell stories. Youth Music groups encourage young people to create zines, podcasts and music. Free tools such as GarageBand make it easier than ever to experiment with music production at home.

For children who enjoy collecting, exploring and discovering things online, wildlife spotting can offer a surprisingly similar thrill. James Benwell, of Birmingham & Black Country Wildlife Trust, says many young people have come to think extraordinary wildlife exists only on screens. In reality, he says, even urban Britain is full of natural wonders, from kingfishers and woodpeckers to wild orchids and legless lizards. Free apps such as iNaturalist and Merlin can help identify what they find.

Don’t write off technology

Less social media does not necessarily have to mean less technology, says Gareth Jandrell, of Digital Schoolhouse.

The ban won’t stop young people from learning how to design games and build websites with organisations including Code Club or the Raspberry Pi Foundation. Schools, libraries and community groups around the UK run coding and robotics clubs.

Leah Dungay, of the National Videogame Museum in Sheffield, recommends games that encourage creativity, collaboration and problem solving rather than passive scrolling. “Minecraft allows players to build worlds together; It Takes Two can only be completed through teamwork; while Football Manager rewards strategy, planning and long-term thinking,” she says.

One comfort for parents faced with such a plethora of options is that the alternatives young people actually gravitate towards are often remarkably familiar.

In 1967, long before the arrival of social media, a Duke of Edinburgh’s award survey found young people’s favourite pursuits included reading, dancing, music, cookery and knitting. Nearly 60 years later, a new survey found the favoured activities had barely changed – proving that, given the chance, children are remarkably good at finding things to do that are more interesting than staring at a wall.