Jeremy Allen White Praises UK Proposal to Ban Social Media for Under-16s: “We Need a Major Reset”
According to the CinemaDrame News Agency, the media and technology industries are facing a serious societal reckoning. Following growing scrutiny and criticism over the damaging effects of social media on young users, the UK government announced plans to implement a ban on apps like TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube for children and teens under the age of 16.
This news arrives just days after the release of the first teaser for Aaron Sorkin’s upcoming film, The Social Accountability. Much like his previous work (The Social Network), the director’s new project takes aim at Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, this time focusing on allegations that Facebook ignored internal warnings regarding the platform’s negative impact on the mental health of younger generations.
Jeremy Allen White, star of Hulu’s hit series The Bear, spent five seasons portraying the intense anxieties of running a professional kitchen. With the series concluding this summer, his next project, The Social Accountability, delves straight into the root of these digital dilemmas. Speaking at the premiere of the show’s final season in Manhattan, the actor praised the UK government’s decision, calling it a major step forward.
“It’s truly incredible how addictive these tools are,” White told the press. “I think we need a major reset. Social media is never going to disappear, but I believe at a certain point, there have to be strict boundaries and regulations. I hope our lives can shift back toward a more traditional, non-digital approach because everything is moving at such an incredibly fast pace, and it’s getting a bit scary.”
As a father of two children, aged 7 and 5, White noted that his kids do not own personal cell phones or iPads, though they occasionally use their parents’ devices. He has previously stated that he intends to keep his children away from social media for as long as possible.
Managing daily screen time has become a growing concern for parents. According to recent surveys, over 64% of parents allow children under 12 to use smartphones or tablets, while nearly half believe these tools do more harm than good, and 80% believe the risks of social media far outweigh the benefits.
Of course, tech screen time isn’t just a concern for children. Ayo Edebiri, White’s co-star on The Bear, admits she struggles with her own smartphone habits and wishes for a simpler alternative: ditching it entirely.
“I really want an old-school flip phone,” Edebiri said. “If it weren’t for work commitments and answering emails, I’d prefer the lifestyle of classic artists like Steve Martin or Bill Murray—where if you need something, you call, it goes to an answering machine, and I’ll talk to you tomorrow! I’m old enough to remember having a job where you had a work email, and when the workday was over, it actually ended. My wish for society is a return to real working hours, so nobody can reach you after 8 PM.”
Perhaps the primary reason The Bear has resonated so deeply with audiences is its tangible, profound depiction of anxiety; the series has managed to capture this feeling with high intensity and a level of realism rarely seen on television.
Reflecting on his own experiences with stress, White shared, “I do things for myself that help me find calm, but I have to say, that feeling is always with me. Of course, while filming the series, it really came in handy and helped my performance.”
