Growing up in the social media age
Young people today interact in a range of digital environments – from browsing the Internet and playing video games, to connecting with their peers on social media platforms.
Girls as young as 9 feel pressured to lead ‘perfect lives’ with ‘boyfriend and good skin’ due to influencers
Children as young as nine have said they feel pressure to lead “perfect lives” due to influencers on social media, researchers have warned.
UK social media ban: tech restrictions for teens can’t be the only approach
The UK government’s decision to introduce restrictions on children’s access to social media marks a significant moment in the evolution of online safety policy.
Social media ban: Implications for schools
The debate is raging over whether Kier Starmer’s social media ban will be effective – and whether it is enforceable. Meanwhile, the implications for schools are unclear.
Social media ban cautiously welcomed by school leaders
Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X will all be inaccessible to under-16s under government plans, but messaging apps such as WhatsApp will be permitted.
Prime Minister announces social media ban for under-16s
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced a social media ban for children aged under 16 which is expected to come into force next spring.
Teens react to Starmer’s UK social media ban for under-16s: the ‘right thing’ but ‘unlikely to make much difference’
Young people have said banning under-16s from social media is “the right thing to do” but have shared worries about how effective the new laws will be.
Starmer announces social media ban for under-16s as part of sweeping reforms
Social media ban for under-16s ‘watershed moment for child protection’ | The Standard
Britain announces sweeping social media ban for under-16s | Reuters
'More clarity' needed over social media ban, says children's minister | STV
Social media bans risk excluding children from important opportunities rather than tackling harms, new report finds
Nearly half (45 per cent) of the children surveyed in a new report from researchers at LSE and the University of Oslo said age-based restrictions on social media would not make them feel any safer online.
No silver bullet: A social media ban alone will not be not enough
School leaders are not opposed to the government expanding age restrictions on children’s social media use, but doing so must be part of a much broader effort to boost safety.
Rushed social media ban for under-16s in UK could ‘unravel’, charity warns
A rushed under-16s social media ban in the UK could unravel and families would be left to count the cost, a leading child safety charity has warned.
Starmer ‘set to announce under-16s social media ban’
Sir Keir Starmer is reportedly poised to announce a ban on social media for under-16s within the next 10 days as the children’s tsar called for an extension to cover teenagers up to 18 years old.
Social media ban must exclude educational content, MPs warn
With ministers considering a ban on social media for under-16s, a parliamentary group highlights the educational value of some content.
Scottish watchdog warns that social media bans ‘risk shifting responsibility away from platforms and onto children’
A statutory body north of the border has suggested that there is, at best, mixed evidence as to the possible efficacy of a comprehensive restriction on children using online services.
London VRU announces support package for young men and vulnerable boys
£1million package offering support measures for young men and vulnerable boys has been launched by the Mayor of London’s Violence Reduction Unit (VRU).
Girls with additional needs ‘at significant risk from social media algorithms’
Social media algorithms are “exacerbating” the vulnerabilities of girls who have additional needs, leaving them exposed to “significant harm”, a new report has warned.
Online misogyny risks ‘lost generation of young men’, Sadiq Khan warns as he calls for under-16s social media ban
London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan has issued a stark warning, cautioning that online misogyny risks creating "a lost generation of young men", as he intensified his call for a ban on social media for under-16s.