Child safety experts have expressed their disagreement with the UK adopting a social media ban for children under 16, as Australia has done. The “retrograde step,” would “do more harm than good,” they say.
Australia recently became the first country to ban anyone under the age of 16 from using social media platforms. The move, supported by the majority of Australians, was not backed by everyone. Academics, politicians, and child rights groups warned that it could backfire, pushing teens to the dark web or making them more isolated.
These fears were shared by child safety experts over here who said that a ban would be “retrograde,” and would “penalise children for the failures of tech companies.”
Technology secretary Peter Kyle has hinted that the UK could follow in Australia’s lead. He told BBC Radio 4’s Today show that a ban is “on the table.” He would later tell The Guardian that it was “not on the cards” for the time being.
NSPCC chief executive Peter Wanless has voiced disagreement to a ban in the UK. Social media, he said was an “integral part of young people’s lives,” as he called on Ofcom to use the Online Safety Act to hold the platforms accountable for tackling the risks online.
“We understand the concerns about children having access to social media that is fundamentally unsafe for them. However, children deserve to have age-appropriate experiences online rather than being cut off from it altogether,” Wanless said. “To introduce a blanket ban on under-16s, as Australia have now done, would penalise children for the failures of tech companies to make their sites properly safe for young users and deliver age-appropriate experiences.”
The Molly Rose Foundation was set up to focus on suicide prevention. Its head, Andy Burrows said that a ban would be a “kneejerk response that would do more harm than good.”
Stay tuned to EyeOnLondon for the latest news and expert opinions.
Follow us on:
Subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest videos and updates!
We value your thoughts! Share your feedback and help us make EyeOnLondon even better!
