- Survey of 1,293 young Britons finds they live life online but want an escape route as technology fails to make them happy
- Parents left in the dark over risky behaviour, highlighting need for privacy and safety to be prioritized by tech companies and policymakers
20th May 2025 – New research showing that half (47%) of young people aged 16 to 21 would prefer to be young in a world without the internet, with 50% also saying a social media curfew would improve their lives, has been published by BSI, the UK’s national standards body. This comes as tech firms in the UK react to new requirements set out by Ofcom to ensure young people are protected from online harm and as politicians consider preventing access to addictive social media apps in the evenings.
Research by BSI to mark the 46th ISO Consumer Policy Committee global plenary 2025, an international meeting of consumer protection experts in London, reveals how young people’s lives are increasingly lived online since Covid-19, highlighting the need for robust measures to protect their mental health and privacy. Three quarters (74%) believe that they spend more time online as a result of the pandemic, with two-thirds spending more than two hours on social media every day. Yet 68% of respondents said they felt worse about themselves after spending time online
The survey indicates that parents are being left in the dark by their children’s online activities, with 42% admitting to lying to their parents or guardians about what they do online. Over a quarter (27%) say they have pretended to be a different person online and 42% say they have pretended to be a different age. A further 40% admit to having set up a fake or decoy account.
Susan Taylor Martin, Chief Executive, BSI said: “The younger generation was promised technology that would create opportunities, improve access to information and bring people closer to their friends. Yet our research shows that alongside this, it is exposing young people to risk and, in many cases, negatively affecting their quality of life.
“Technology can only be a force for good if it is underpinned by trust that people's privacy, security, safety and wellbeing will not be compromised in the process. The companies creating these services must prioritize the needs of end-users of all ages, especially adolescents, to ensure their health and privacy are protected.”
Daisy Greenwell, Co-founder & Director, Smart Phone Free Childhood, said: “That nearly half of young people would prefer to grow up without the internet should be a wake-up call for all of us.
“We’ve built a world where it’s normal for children to spend hours each day in digital spaces designed to keep them hooked.Young people are now asking for boundaries — for curfews, age checks, meaningful limits, and real protection. They are ready for change.
“What they need now is for the adults in charge — governments, regulators, and tech leaders — to step up and meet them there. For too long, the interests of powerful tech companies have been prioritised over the wellbeing of the next generation. But parents across the UK are now coming together to protect childhood from the toxic and addictive algorithms peddled by tech companies.
“We have an opportunity to reset the digital world our children are growing up in. Their mental health and right to a safe, healthy childhood must come before profit.”
The survey of 1,293 UK adolescents and young adults aged 16 to 21 lays bare the level of addiction, finding that over a quarter (26%) spend four hours or more on social media, while a fifth spend three hours or more gaming. In contrast, around half (49%) spend less than two hours a day on hobbies like dance, drama or team sports.
Respondents demonstrated a clear appetite for greater protection and guidance online, with 27% wanting phones banned in schools. 79% say technology companies should be required by law to build robust privacy safeguards into technology and platforms used by children and teenagers, such as age verification or identity checks. This is particularly striking given that 43% admit they began using social media before age 13 (the legal age to do so).
The data also highlights distinct online experiences based on gender. Young women report higher exposure to harassment (37% vs 28% of young men) and are more likely to compare their appearance or lifestyle to others, with 85% doing this at least sometimes and nearly half (49%) doing so often or very often. Young women are also more likely to set up fake or decoy accounts (43% vs 36%), and 79% have been influenced to purchase something because of social media (e.g. TikTok), compared to 59% of males.
The findings feature in a report, Supporting a safe and secure world for adolescents: building consumer trust in tomorrow’s technology, which has been published to highlight the need for a continued focus on the protection of young consumers as part of this year’s ISO Consumer Policy Committee (ISO COPOLCO) global plenary 2025, hosted by BSI.
BSI holds the Secretariat for the new JTC1/SC44 Privacy by Design for consumer products and services committee, to find out more about consumers and standards, including how to get involved with the Consumer and Public Interest Network, please visit see bsigroup.com/consumers.
For more information on the event, please visit our website, here.
Download the report here.
