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

[highplainsdem]

Source: Guardian

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.

The results came after the technology secretary, Peter Kyle, hinted that the government was weighing up the possibility of making cut-off times mandatory for certain apps such as TikTok and Instagram.

-snip-

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

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And now the tech lords, including those who've made social media so harmful, are making the internet much more toxic with generative AI.

And the UK's technology secretary, despite hinting at concern for the kids, seems desperate to do everything he can to keep the AI companies happy, including proposing giving the AI bros free use of UK citizens' intellectual property. And he's stupidly.enchanted by OpenAI's hallucinating ChatGPT bot.

https://theconversation.com/why-a-journalist-could-obtain-a-ministers-chatgpt-prompts-and-what-it-means-for-transparency-252269

When the New Scientist revealed that it had obtained a UK government minister’s ChatGPT prompts through a freedom of information (FOI) request, many in journalism and politics did a double take. Science and technology minister Peter Kyle had apparently asked the AI chatbot to draft a speech, explain complex policy and – more memorably – tell him what podcasts to appear on.

He should be the subject of a Monty Python skit, not the technology minister.

Kids are drowning in a digital swamp. Society owes them a rescue. Most of those kids would have been much better off growing up before the internet and smart phones.

And governments manipulated by tech lords are the last thing kids need.

[hlthe2b]

1. I share their feelings even while I am admittedly addicted to internet (not social media)

I do love being able to search things I have never known or that which I have forgotten. I am addicted to news, but the constant news alerts are harmful-- I freely admit. And I do NOT want to hear about celebrity BS 24/7.

So, all in all, I have to think these UK teens and 20-somethings have a point. I could use a detox--if nothing else.

[JBTaurus83]

4. I agree with you

The internet is a great resource for information. I also enjoy being able to share opinions. I do understand the frustration with social media, but I think within 24 hours a lot of the kids would be singing a new tune without it.

[Skittles]

2. I'm glad I got to experience life before the internet

talk about a pivotal time of being on this planet.......

[highplainsdem]

6. Same here. I first got online a few years before the World Wide Web existed. But I'm so glad I had

the decades before that.

[Skittles]

9. same

I was in IT so I used a lot of the tools before they became mainstream.

[Karasu]

7. Same. The older I get, the more grateful I am for that. I can't even imagine what it would be like growing up with it,

or--even worse yet--having social media exist for your entire life.

[Deminpenn]

14. The internet is fine, social media is the problem

nt

[Skittles]

17. the first time I saw "unfriended"

I thought, JFC - how juvenile - I would never participate in such nonsense.

[NickB79]

20. I became a teen in 1990

And didn't have regular access to the Internet until I went to college in 1998. Even then, it was something you needed to work at a bit to get access to, not in your pocket constantly.

Those were the halcyon days.

[LudwigPastorius]

3. "...46% said they would rather be young in a world without the internet altogether."

You poor bastards, technology is accelerating at such a pace that this world is only going to get a lot worse.

[kimbutgar]

5. Life was easier

I’ve seen the change in kids and adults. Sadly myself included. Used to read books avidly and now only look at my iPad instead. Sadly

[Karasu]

8. It was a better world in a great many ways. Hell, the Internet before social media wasn't half-bad, either. At least not

compared to where it's gone since.

[BaronChocula]

10. UK?

Same people who voted for Brexit?
Just sayin'. They may wanna think a little longer about the world w/out the Internet.

[JI7]

11. This is young people so they probably didn't vote during that election

[Oopsie Daisy]

12. Would it help if they learned some self-control?

[Javaman]

13. all social media did was weaponize the bullies. nt

[taxi]

15. No doubt that this is the same half (here) who thinks that

everything in the past was better, easier, more honest. The ones who think they themselves would have ventured west for gold, become cattle barons, or rich savvy businessmen. Of course, like everyone else in the world, they would have had their own horse, their own house, and a family that dutifully catered to their every whim. You know, all those good old conservative values that don't exist anymore. (and never did)

[Oneironaut]

16. These kids have only seen the left over husk of what was once the internet.

Pre-2014ish, the internet was great! Now, it’s a depressing corporate-run hellscape, and, most major sites are locked behind paywalls. Users have mostly consolidated behind a few sites, like Reddit. With AI improving, I think we can call time of death on the current internet. It’s toast.

I miss Web 1.0, even with the popups, viruses, etc. It was a different, more optimistic time.

[speak easy]

18. " they would rather be young in a world without the internet"

They haven't lived in it.The world I want to live in is the one where Al Gore was sworn in as the 43rd President of the United States on January 20, 2001.

[PCB66]

19. I'm a Boomer that grew up without Internet

The Internet is like all technological advances. It is a mixed blessing. However, to me as a 78 year old the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. It has resulted in great advances in productivity and communication.

On the other hand it has taken away from personal interaction and produced a tremendous amount of trash.

I can remember my grandparents back in the 1950s telling my parents that the 15 inch B&W TV that could only get three channels was going to ruin the grandkids. Maybe they were right.