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A recent survey conducted by the children’s commissioner for Wales has revealed that one in five children spend a minimum of seven hours a day on phones and tablets. The survey also uncovered that two children, aged 10 and 11, admitted to spending at least nine hours each day on screens during the weekend. Kiishi, a thirteen-year-old participant in a digital guardians project aimed at safeguarding children online, expressed concerns about how certain technologies can feel “almost controlling”. To address this issue, new regulations under the Online Safety Act, such as age verification on specific sites and apps, are set to be enforced starting this Friday.
The survey, which targeted children and young individuals between the ages of seven and 18 in Wales, focused on their usage of electronic devices like phones, tablets, and computers. More than half of the 340 respondents disclosed that there are household regulations in place to limit screen time and the types of apps they can access. As the school holidays approach, there are concerns that online activity will spike during this period. A significant finding from the survey was that 75% of TikTok users admitted to disabling the platform’s one-hour limit for users under 18.
Reflecting on the survey results, the children’s commissioner for Wales, Rocio Cifuentes, emphasized the importance of the Online Safety Act in protecting children and enhancing their online experiences. Cifuentes stressed the necessity for robust mechanisms to prevent children from excessive screen time. Additionally, the UK government is reportedly exploring ways to curb the amount of time children spend on social media. Rufus, a fifteen-year-old participant from Llantwit Major, Vale of Glamorgan, taking part in a digital guardians project initiated by mental health charity Platfform and NSPCC, articulated the need for more restrictions in this realm. Despite the positive aspects of the internet, young individuals like Ada emphasize the importance of enforcing stricter regulations to combat negative influences such as disinformation on platforms like social media.
Furthermore, Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, will be implementing new rules necessitating social media platforms to verify users’ ages and adjust their algorithms to filter certain content. Under the Online Safety Act, companies are mandated to remove illegal material, and additional legislation has been introduced to address issues like unsolicited sexual imagery online. Matthew Sowemimo, NSPCC’s associate head of public affairs for child safety online, highlighted the vital role children play in providing insight into the impact of online harm. Sowemimo stressed that while it is crucial to include children’s voices in discussions about online safety, the responsibility for protecting them from online risks, particularly on social media, ultimately falls on tech companies to design and implement safety features on their platforms
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