Terming the UK government’s proposed restrictions on social media access for children under 16 as ineffective and potentially counterproductive, Telegram CEO, Pavel Durov, argued that stricter regulations cannot substitute parental responsibility and may ultimately expose teenagers to greater online risks.
In a sweeping push to tighten online safety protections, the UK is weighing measures that would prohibit children under 16 from accessing major social media platforms, including Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook, YouTube and X.
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The proposals also include stricter age-verification requirements.
Responding to the plans in a series of posts on X, Durov questioned the effectiveness of age-based bans.
“No law can replace good parenting,” Durov wrote, adding that parents already have access to tools such as parental controls, screen-time limits and smartphone restrictions to manage children’s digital habits.
“Instead, many parents give toddlers iPads just to keep them quiet. No amount of regulation will fix that,” he added.
No law can replace good parenting.
Parents already have the tools to limit kids’ digital consumption: parental controls, screen-time limits — or no smartphone at all.
Instead, many parents give toddlers iPads just to keep them quiet.
No amount of regulation will fix that.
— Pavel Durov (@durov) June 15, 2026
Durov also warned that restricting access to mainstream social media platforms could drive teenagers toward workarounds such as virtual private networks (VPNs), potentially exposing them to less regulated corners of the internet.
“Banning social media for teenagers only puts them in greater danger,” he said. “Teens are forced to switch to VPNs — and unlock far worse illegal content.”
Citing Telegram’s experience in Russia, Durov noted that users continued accessing the platform despite government restrictions.
“When the Russian government banned Telegram, 95% of Russian teenagers kept using it. They just moved to VPNs,” he wrote.
Durov further criticised the UK’s proposed age-verification measures, which could require users to prove their age through IDs, facial scans or bank-card checks, raising concerns over privacy and government oversight.
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