Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has thrown down the gauntlet to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, accusing the Labour government of "dithering" over the proposed ban on social media for children under 16. Her message is blunt: the mental health of a generation is non-negotiable.

In a fiery op-ed, Badenoch argued that delaying the ban to wait for "more evidence" is a dereliction of duty. Citing the Australian model, she framed the issue not as one of technology, but of child protection, equating algorithms to alcohol or gambling.

The "Anxiety Generation"

"We are producing a generation of children who struggle to concentrate and are riddled with anxiety," Badenoch wrote. Her stance taps into a growing global consensus among parents that smartphones are the new cigarettes—addictive, harmful, and unregulated.

• The Proposal: A strict legal ban on social media access for anyone under 16. No loopholes, no parental consent overrides.
• The Politics: By taking the hardline stance, Badenoch is outflanking Labour on a populist issue. She is positioning the Tories as the party of the family, forcing Starmer to either follow suit or appear weak on child safety.

The View from Nairobi

This debate echoes loudly in Kenya. With the explosion of TikTok and Instagram usage among Kenyan teens, local parents are grappling with the same demons. Cyberbullying, exposure to inappropriate content, and the erosion of local values are hot-button issues in our parent WhatsApp groups.

While Kenya has not yet proposed a total ban, the Communications Authority (CA) has hinted at tighter regulations. Badenoch’s push in the UK could set a precedent. If the West cracks down, the digital dumping ground often shifts to Africa. Kenya must be ready to define its own digital boundaries before the algorithm defines our children.

Time to Act

"Just get on with it," Badenoch urged. It is a sentiment many parents share. The experiment of giving children unfettered access to the entire world has failed. The cleanup job has begun, and the UK’s political battle is just the opening salvo in a global war for our children’s attention.