THE MALVERN FORUM Febuary 2026
Malvern’s only Politics Journal
1st edition
How the United Kingdom and the European Union regulate social media to protect young people Social media is a huge part of daily life for young people as they use it to communicate, learn new things and express themselves. However, there are concerns about harmful content, cyberbullying, privacy risk and the effects of social media on mental health. Because of these concerns, governments have created rules to help keep minors under 16 safe online. The United Kingdom and the European Union are taking steps to regulate social media platforms and protect young users. In the United Kingdom, the Online Safety Act is a major law designed to protect people online, especially children. This law requires social media companies to take responsibility for the content on their platforms. Companies must identify risks and limit children’s exposure to harmful material such as content related to self-harm, bullying, or explicit images. The UK government believes platforms should not leave safety entirely up to users but should actively work to prevent them. The European Union has also introduced important regulations, one of the most significant of which is the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This law protects people’s personal data and includes special protections for children. In many EU countries, companies must receive parental consent before collecting or using a child’s personal information. This helps protect young people’s privacy online.
In addition, the European Union introduced the Digital Services Act (DSA). The DSA requires social media platforms to be more transparent about how their systems and algorithms work. It also bans targeted advertising aimed at children. These rules are meant to reduce manipulation and limit young people’s exposure to harmful or misleading content. Although both the United Kingdom and the European Union aim to protect young people, their approaches differ slightly. The UK focuses more on holding platforms responsible for removing harmful content, while the EU places stronger attention on data protection and transparency. Regardless of these differences, both governments believe that social media companies should play a greater role in keeping users safe. Supporters of these regulations argue that they help create a safer online environment without banning social media completely. However, critics raise concerns about enforcement and freedom of expression. Some question whether platforms can effectively monitor content without limiting people’s ability to share their opinions In conclusion, the United Kingdom and the European Union represent two related but different approaches to regulating social media; both are working to balance safety, privacy, and freedom of expression, and as social media continues to develop, the success of these regulations will depend on how effectively they are enforced and adapted to new challenges
By Maria-Violetta P C