Social media ban would sideline action on the addictive algorithms that drive misogyny, charity warns

A social media ban won't address the addictive algorithms which drive online misogyny, sexism and abuse, says girls’ equality charity Plan International UK.  

The charity said that while nearly nine in ten girls and young women (86%) cite social media as a source of happiness*, just one in ten (9%) feel ‘completely safe’* online. Fifty-four percent of children opposed a ban on social media for under-16s in a new poll from the Childwise Omnibus Survey**.  

There are reports that a ban, or partial ban, on social media is imminent, and the charity warns a ban could result in social media companies escaping pressure to make safe design a baseline condition of their services.  

Senior Influencing Lead for UK Girls’ Rights Morgan Griffith-David from Plan International UK said social media companies should bear responsibility for creating safe spaces online backed by rigorous enforcement.  

He said: "Girls tell us that they are seeing harmful content online, with the rise of sexism and abuse, driven by misogynistic corners of the internet including the manosphere. Just one in ten girls say they feel completely safe online but banning them from social media is not the answer. Social media companies must be properly regulated and held responsible for creating safe spaces for children online.  

“Harmful gender norms are being constantly reinforced by social media algorithms and addictive features driven by profit, not safety. Misogyny seeps in through memes and jokes, interwoven with other content, making it extremely embedded in online experiences to the point where young people can’t even see the harm it’s doing. Blocking access doesn’t solve the problem, it just delays it and avoids tackling the misogyny and sexism that is so rampant across the internet. It could also push children towards dangerous and unregulated corners of the web, potentially exposing them to far more harmful content. 

“The Government should instead strengthen the Online Safety Act with a clear definition of ‘safety by design’, minimum standards for Terms of Service and an overarching duty of care for younger users that platforms have to follow. Ofcom must have the power to enforce all of this. Proper regulation, not an outright ban, of social media - with the safety of children at the forefront of any decision making – is the most appropriate way to keep young people safe online.”  

The charity said that women and girls are more likely to face certain kinds of violence online including misogynistic content, cyberflashing and intimate image abuse. These harms don’t stay on the screen – they spill into everyday life, affecting girls’ mental health, sense of belonging and the way they see themselves.  

But, it warned, children have rights to privacy and participation in communities online, which a blanket ban ignores. In countries trialing bans, we’re already seeing young people feeling more alone, with LGBTQ+, neurodiverse and disabled young people, as well as those from other marginalised groups who rely on online communities for support and connection feeling especially isolated.  

Morgan continued: “Girls have told us that they want the online world to be creative, joyful and affirming. They are actively calling out the rise of the manosphere and the wave of misogyny hitting their feeds. We can’t regulate our way out of sexism while leaving the underlying attitudes untouched. We need to start much earlier – with education and conversations at home, at school and in every day life.” 

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Notes to editors: 

• *State of Girls’ Rights in the UK report 2024  
• **Spring 2026