The UK government’s proposed ban on social media for under-16s has focused attention on online safety, wellbeing and the role platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat play in young people’s lives. While the wider debate around implementation and effectiveness will continue, the underlying concern is unquestionably an important one.
Regardless of how the policy unfolds, it raises an interesting question for universities. What happens if a generation grows up differently?
If a generation spends less time on social media during its formative years, how might that change the way future students discover, evaluate and choose where to study?
While the immediate impact on student recruitment will be limited, the expectations and behaviours future students bring to the process may look very different from those of today’s applicants.
Our MediaMapper research shows that social media is now an established part of the student research journey. University websites remain the most trusted source of information, but students also use social channels to explore student life, hear authentic voices and build confidence in their choices.
These platforms help students understand what an institution feels like.
If younger audiences spend less time growing up with social media, they may develop different research habits. Discovery could become less feed-driven and more focused on search, recommendation and active information seeking.
The need to discover information and seek reassurance won’t disappear. So, where will students turn instead?
Increasingly, that may point towards AI and community-driven platforms.
Students are already using ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Gemini and Perplexity to compare universities and answer questions. At the same time, platforms such as Reddit (currently not covered by the government’s policy changes) are becoming increasingly influential, providing the authentic experiences and peer-to-peer advice that both students and AI models value.
The need for social proof won’t disappear.
Students will always seek reassurance from people like them before making major decisions. Historically, much of that reassurance has come through social platforms, student creators and online communities. In future, some of it may come through AI-powered research, where recommendations and summaries are shaped by content and conversations from across the web.
This creates an important opportunity for universities.
Authentic student stories, experiences, outcomes and peer perspectives hosted on university-owned channels may become even more valuable. Not only do they help prospective students directly, they can also help shape the information that search engines and AI platforms use to understand and represent an institution.
The future is unlikely to be a choice between owned channels, social media and AI. Instead, they will become increasingly interconnected.
The proposed social media ban may ultimately accelerate a broader shift that is already underway. From social discovery towards AI-assisted discovery and recommendation.
It will be fascinating to see how these behaviours evolve, and it’s something we’ll continue to track through MediaMapper in the years ahead.
Hopefully, all within a safer digital environment for the next generation of students.
Want to understand how today's students really discover and choose their university? Book onto our webinar on Wednesday 24 June.
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