THE GUARDIAN: Almost half of young people would prefer a world without internet, UK study finds

May 20, 2025

Almost half of young people would rather live in a world where the internet does not exist, according to a new survey.

The research reveals that nearly 70% of 16- to 21-year-olds feel worse about themselves after spending time on social media. Half (50%) would support a “digital curfew” that would restrict their access to certain apps and sites past 10pm, while 46% said they would rather be young in a world without the internet altogether.

A quarter of respondents spent four or more hours a day on social media, while 42% of those surveyed admitted to lying to their parents and guardians about what they do online.

While online, 42% said they had lied about their age, 40% admitted to having a decoy or “burner” account, and 27% said they pretended to be a different person completely.

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The study, conducted by the British Standards Institution, surveyed 1,293 young people and found that 27% of respondents have shared their location online with strangers.

In the same survey, three-quarters said they had spent more time online as a result of the pandemic, while 68% said they felt the time they spent online was detrimental to their mental health.

Andy Burrows, the chief executive of the suicide prevention charity the Molly Rose Foundation, said it was “clear that young people are aware of the risks online and, what’s more, they want action from tech companies to protect them”.

He added that algorithms can provide content that “can quickly spiral and take young people down rabbit holes of harmful and distressing material through no fault of their own”. New laws were “urgently required to finally embed a safe by design approach to regulation that puts the needs of children and society ahead of those of big tech”, he said.

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https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/may/20/almost-half-of-young-people-would-prefer-a-world-without-internet-uk-study-finds