A report by the Education Select Committee has advised the UK government to ban the use of smartphones by children under the age of 16. According to the committee, the risks posed by the internet and increased screen time for children outweighs the benefits. The report argues that with almost all children owning a smartphone by the age of 12, there are “serious dangers” for children online, with 79% of young people having encountered violent pornography before age 18. Furthermore, the report highlighted a significant rise in screen time in children, with one in four children using their phone in a manner resembling behavioural addiction.
The report highlights the Online Safety Act 2021, which puts responsibility on social media firms to protect children from some legal but harmful material, will provide some protection, but not until the law is fully implemented in 2026. The committee says that without urgent action, more children could be put in harm’s way. An ideal solution would involve the regulator, Ofcom, consulting on additional measures such as a total phone ban for under 16s, or having parental controls installed, as an additional safety measure.
The report has been met with mixed responses from parents in the UK. Some fear teenage social lives could be damaged without a phone, whereas others recommend a complete ban on smartphones and social media. The National Association of Head Teachers says schools are best placed to develop their own mobile phone policies, whilst insisting that children develop positive relationships with technology.
The Conservative and Labour parties have so far not commented on the recommendations made in the report
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