The UK Government has made the decision to ban access to social media sites to under 16s. That’s from spring of 2027. For 16 and 17 year olds certain livestreaming, eg gaming, will be switched off by default.

I don’t wish to debate the rights and wrongs of this particular Government decision here, but examine the variety of ages UK citizens are deemed old enough to participate in certain activities. It’s an odd hodgepodge.

I’ve heard the pros and cons regarding the social media ban, some arguing that we can’t expect children, that’s what 16 year olds legally are, to cope with a cliff edge but some cliff edges have been the norm for decades. At 16 you can consent to having sexual intercourse. You can also sign up to join the army with your parents’ permission, but it’s the 16 year old who signs the contract, and this contract remains till they’re 22, quite a commitment for such a young person to make. The UK is alone among modern industrialised economies that allows 16 year olds to make this important decision.

At age 16 you can drive an agricultural vehicle on the road, with the right licence. Still, these vehicles are pretty hefty so it’s a huge responsibility. And with appropriate training teenagers as young as 13 can drive a tractor on private land.

Sixteen year olds used to be able to get married with their parents’ consent. That has altered to 18 in England and Wales. You can still disappear to Gretna Green though as Scotland has retained the 16 year old rule.

At 17, if you gain your driver’s licence, you can drive on the road. Seventeen year olds are still strictly children and yet we let them loose with a tonne of metal at speed. Surprise, surprise, many of them lose their lives every year. Welsh Police statistics report, “In 2025, there were 896 road casualties aged 16 to 24 in Wales,” out of which 269 were killed or seriously injured. That’s 22 percent of the total yet this age group forms merely 11 percent of the population.

In Wales and Scotland, 16 year olds can vote, although they can’t be candidates till they’re 18, as is the case in Westminster elections but there you need to be 18 before you can vote.

At 18 you’re legally an adult. You can buy alcohol, vapes, tobacco (not for long though), join the army without parents’ permission, and watch certain films and buy video games depending on what the confusing certification allows; violent games’ regulations are especially unworkable. But it’s legal for 16 and 17 year olds to have beer, wine or cider with a meal in a restaurant, as long as they’re accompanied by an adult.

From 1 January 2027 you can’t buy tobacco at 18, you need to be 19. From 1 Jan 2028 you need to be 20, etc. The Nanny State, loathed by many who hate being told not to eat too much fat or junk food, is tackling smoking. Of course it’s for people’s own good but so is eating healthy food and getting a decent amount of exercise.

When 18 year olds start university and have a mental health problem, their parents don’t have to be informed. These young people who’ve just left home have to cope with living in a strange place, dealing with finances, studying and meeting deadlines, while trying to live a social life. Many love it, but for those who find this all overwhelming, the lack of parental input can make the difference between life and death. The National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health carried out a review and found that “undergraduates made up the majority of cases, with first-year students and international students being particularly vulnerable.”

You’re considered old and wise enough at age 18 to do jury service, listening to evidence and weighing up if someone is guilty or innocent of a crime. And talking about courts, here to me is the most shocking age fact of all. You’re deemed to be criminally responsible at age 10! In most other European countries it’s 14 or higher. This long list shows the absurdity and contradictions in this country.

The arguments over the social media ban have rightly concentrated on the harms done but shouldn’t we discuss true responsible behaviour? I regularly spot parents giving toddlers a phone to ‘play’ with while busily engaged on their own screens. Governments could do what they’re doing with tobacco buying, raise the age every year at which a smart phone is purchasable.

Of course I’m being facetious but the serious point to this column is that if we wish to avoid living in a Nanny State, which is clearly creeping up on us, adults should behave like adults.