Ban on social media could put vulnerable children at greater risk
Banning social media for under-16s in the UK could send children into more dangerous online “hidden spaces”, safeguarding professionals have warned.
A three-month government consultation on children’s social media use was launched in the UK in January. Australia introduced a ban last year and other countries are expected to follow suit.
The consultation comes after 61 Labour MPs wrote to the prime minister calling for "urgent action" to raise the minimum age for access to social media platforms.
The MPs cited rising mental health issues among teens and a poor focus on learning, adding that the average 12-year-old spends 29 hours per week on a smartphone.
However, 42 children’s charities and online safety campaigners in the UK issued a joint statement warning of “unintended consequences” arising from a social media ban.
They claim it could create a “false sense of safety” and lead to children migrating to the dark web.
Richard Cross, director of clinical services at Five Rivers, an independent provider of children’s social care, told PSW: “This feels like a collective attempt to regain control in a world that is growing increasingly unsafe, chaotic and fast-moving due to technological advancements.
“But we must resist the seductive allure of the magic bullet; content regulation, age verification and other measures have all been proposed.
“Resilience is not built by avoidance but by grappling with effective management of what is there,
“The digital world is where our children and young people have been growing up. Banning it does not make it go away. I do hope it doesn’t push young people into hidden spaces and that consideration is given to how to make spaces safer and more open.
“We cannot put the genie back in the bottle, but we can help young people learn that they are in charge of their choices online. Our job is not to police them, but to guide them and support them.”
Professor Lisa Russell, of Manchester Metropolitan University’s Institute for Children’s Futures, spoke to scores of vulnerable teenagers as part of a four-year study.
She says many mention mental health and anxiety issues as reasons for struggling at school, but believes the answer lies in better support for young people,
“Putting boundaries in place and removing explicit harmful content on social media for young people is a must.
“However, opening communicative spaces in family, community and school settings also needs to happen. Young people need safe spaces with trusted adults to help make them feel heard, feel like they belong and have something important to contribute.”
Prof Russell warns children need to be involved in all stages of discussions about a potential social media ban.
“Young people in our research frequently reported feeling unseen and unheard – they need a say in key decisions that will affect them, and should be better consulted on major policy decisions that shape their lives.”
The UK consultation seeks to determine the “right minimum age” for children to access social media, along with improving age checks, addressing addictive features such as “doom scrolling” and introducing simpler parental controls.
The government will respond in the summer. Ministers will visit Australia to learn first-hand from their approach.