Why Blanket Social-Media Bans Don’t Work—And What Protects People Instead

The problem with blanket bans

• Silence the many, not the few: Bad actors adapt; ordinary users and small businesses suffer.
• Drive speech underground: Users migrate to harder-to-monitor channels.
• Economic harm: Creators, MSMEs, and NGOs lose reach and income.
• Democratic costs: Limits on criticism and organizing weaken accountability.

What actually works

• Targeted enforcement: Focus on illegal content and repeat offenders, not whole platforms.
• Age-appropriate design: Safer defaults for minors, privacy by default, friction for risky features.
• Transparency from platforms: Clear reporting channels and appeal rights.
• Digital literacy: Fact-checking habits, source evaluation, and context labels.
• Court-backed takedowns: Due process, narrow scope, and time-bound orders.

A balanced policy checklist

• Is the measure necessary and proportionate?
• Are there transparent reasons and public reporting?
• Is there a clear appeals process?
• Is the goal achievable without silencing lawful speech?

Your voice matters

• Share your experience with bans or throttling via our Voice of People form.
• Support smart, rights-respecting policy—sign the BCANP petition.

BCANP supports evidence-based protections that keep people safe and keep speech free.