Parents have warned the Government that plans to ban social media for teenagers could be ‘dangerous’ and leave UK kids behind
Parents have cautioned the government that proposals to prohibit social media for teenagers could be “dangerous” and risk leaving UK children at a disadvantage. The government is contemplating measures such as overnight curfews and even an Australia-style ban on children using social media, all in an effort to enhance online safety for youngsters.
These plans are part of a consultation with parents and young people on how to ensure children’s safety whilst they use social media. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has indicated that this consultation was initiated by demands to strengthen online safety laws, as parents and campaigners feel the Online Safety Act hasn’t done enough to safeguard children who use the internet and social media.
The consultation is also set to explore whether social media platforms should be required to disable addictive features which can cause children to stay up late, such as infinite scrolling and autoplay functions on video content.
The Government will also consider limiting children’s access to AI chatbots as it consults parents and young people about new online safety measures.
Liz Kendall, the Technology Secretary, along with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, have pledged to swiftly amend the law based on the feedback they receive from the consultation – potentially as early as this summer.
However, parents remain doubtful about the effectiveness of a ban, with some warning the government that it could be “dangerous” or result in UK children falling behind.
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.”
Separate versions of the consultation will be rolled out specifically designed for adults, as well as for children and young people. Ministers are planning to conclude the consultation on May 26, before aiming to reach decisions on potential bans or curfews during the summer months.
With this in mind, the Government has started preparing powers that will enable them to implement swift legislative changes, rather than undertaking a years-long parliamentary procedure similar to the one that resulted in the Online Safety Act.
However, these so-called “Henry VIII powers” have faced criticism in the past, as they permit ministers to bypass parliamentary oversight.
In addition to the consultation, the Government is planning to launch a “national conversation” regarding online safety, which will feature community gatherings, discussions facilitated by MPs in their constituencies, and involvement in educational settings.
An academic panel will also examine the emerging evidence base from locations such as Australia, which has introduced a ban preventing under-16s from accessing the most popular social media platforms.
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