Parents have warned the Government that plans to ban social media for teenagers could be ‘dangerous’ and leave UK kids behind
Parents have warned the Government that proposals to ban social media access for teenagers could prove “dangerous” and risk leaving kids at a disadvantage. Measures under consideration include overnight curfews and potentially an Australia-style ban on children accessing social media platforms, as the Government seeks to enhance online safety for young people.
These proposals form part of a wider consultation with parents and young people examining how children can be better protected whilst using social media. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology indicated the consultation was prompted by demands to strengthen online safety legislation, with parents and campaigners arguing the Online Safety Act hasn’t provided sufficient protection for children navigating the internet and social media.
The consultation is also anticipated to explore whether social media companies should be required to disable addictive features that encourage children to remain online late into the evening, such as endless scrolling and automatic video playback functions.
The Government will additionally examine limiting children’s interaction with AI chatbots as part of its consultation with parents and young people regarding fresh online safety initiatives.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall, alongside Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, have pledged to amend legislation rapidly following the consultation findings – potentially as early as this summer.
Nevertheless, parents remain doubtful about the effectiveness of such a ban, with some alerting the Government that it could prove “dangerous” or put children at a disadvantage.
One parent expressed: “I’ve changed my stance on this since having my own child and a nearly 10 year old step son. I get there are tech savvy parents who know how to protect their children, have open discussions about the dangers, take all the steps to encourage sensible use…. but there are many who have no idea what their kids are up to on social media.
“I don’t think I’d be too put out if there was a ban of some kind. Flip side, I don’t think it’s wise to unlock everything at 18 and suddenly have access to the whole shebang. Something needs to be done, but in a way that teaches teens how to sensibly navigate social media.
“Maybe a ban for under 13s, then a bit more access to certain apps 13-16. 18 seems a bit excessive in my opinion. Our 16 year olds can now vote, they should be allowed to access online discourse, but learning about fake news and AI should be covered in the “how to navigate social media” stage.
“I have no idea how any of this could be implemented in a cohesive way.”
Another parent chimed in: “Wait, a curfew actually sounds really reasonable? I’m team ‘allowed on social media from age 14’, purely because they’re in a stage then where they have some sense of self preservation and responsibility but are still at an age where they’d be willing (for the most part at least) to still listen to their parents, so will sooner take warnings about internet safety seriously?”.
“18 feels too old, 16 I fear the kids want to be too independent and having not been able to learn how to be safe on the internet when younger, might do… stupid things, so to speak? That curfew sounds solid though regardless of the kids age.”
Different versions of the consultation will be rolled out specifically designed for adults, as well as for children and young people. Ministers intend to conclude the consultation on May 26, with decisions regarding potential bans or curfews expected during the summer months.
To facilitate this, the Government has started preparing powers enabling swift legislative amendments, rather than undertaking a lengthy parliamentary procedure similar to that which resulted in the Online Safety Act.
Nevertheless, these so-called “Henry VIII powers” have attracted criticism previously, as they permit ministers to bypass parliamentary oversight.
In addition to the consultation, the Government intends to initiate a “national conversation” surrounding online safety, featuring community gatherings, constituency-based discussions led by MPs, and engagement within educational settings.
An academic panel will simultaneously examine the emerging evidence from countries such as Australia, which has implemented a prohibition on under-16s accessing the most widely-used social media platforms.
Click Here For The Original Source.
