A parliamentary committee has suggested raising the social media access age from 13 to 16 due to concerns about its negative impact on children’s health. The Telegraph has more.
The Commons education committee has recommended that the age at which children are allowed on to social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram should be increased from 13 to 16.
It said the next government should also consider a statutory ban on mobile phones in schools and a total ban on smartphones for under-16s.
Robin Walker, the committee chairman, said: “Excessive screen and smartphone use has a clear negative impact on the mental and physical wellbeing of children and young people.
“Our inquiry heard shocking statistics on the extent of the damage being done to under-18s, particularly those who are already extremely vulnerable, such as those in care.
“Digital age of consent checks are not fit for purpose.
“We heard no evidence demonstrating that 13 year-olds understood the ramifications of sharing personal information online and today’s report urges the Government to increase this age to 16.”
The Online Safety Act requires tech firms to ensure they have effective age checks to ensure children under 13 cannot access social media platforms – with fines worth up to 10% of their global turnover if they fail to do so.
However, the committee said age checks were not robust enough and now was the time for a broader debate on the adequacy of the digital age of consent. …
The committee said tougher guidance on mobile phones in schools and how to manage children’s screen time at home was needed to better protect young people.
It argued that screen time was harmful to children’s mental and physical health, and both schools and parents needed clear guidance from the Government on the issue.
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