Should The UK Ban Social Media for Young People?🤔
I’m sure we’ve all seen the statistics surrounding young people and mental health. In England, more than a fifth of Gen Z report living with a longstanding mental health condition in their early 20s which is double the rate reported by millennials at the same age a decade ago.
So what has changed in the last 10/15 years? Many point the finger at social media and the pressure of living in an increasingly online world.
With Australia introducing a ban on social media for under 16s and France considering similar legislation, it raises some important questions…
Should the UK follow suit? And would restricting social media actually help ease the mental health crisis among young people?
Have you tried limiting your child’s social media use and have you noticed any changes in their mood or behaviour since they started using these platforms?
How do you think young people would cope if social media were taken away altogether?
What do you think?
Comments
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banning social media for under 16s while not regulating Big Tech's predatory social media algorhythms designed to make young people addicted and ignore the structural issues making young people unwell (ie. the climate crisis, fascism, ramant wealth inequality) is like sticking a plaster over a wound so deep it's on the verge of becoming infected with gangrene.
also cuts of marginalised kids from communities that in many cases, helps them survive, including disabled children, trans/queer children and children trapped in rural areas.
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What a disgrace, we are turning into a nation of softies. I wonder how many of these 'mental health conditions' among youngsters are genuine, and not just a fashion accessory? 1 in 5 is a staggering amount.
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I feel that social media will definitely have contributed to the increase in mental health conditions. It's incredibly damaging to see perfect models and the amazing lives that everyone is supposedly leading. It also makes it easier for bullies to prey on their victims as they are accessible 24/7. I don't feel that we're turning into a nation of softies @ChrisR777. It is a completely different world now and young people are exposed to so much damaging content that it's inevitable that their mental health will be affected.
I completely agree that marginalised children benefit from social media as a way to reach others @Stellar.
It's just such a difficult situation and I'm not sure there really is an answer without completely overhauling the internet as we know it. I think parents should be aware of what their child is doing online and make them aware that not everything they see is real. However, children can be sneaky so it can often be hard to monitor them. I know schools teach about the dangers of the internet, but maybe more should be taught about the level of fakeness there is so they don't feel like a failure when they're not a millionaire or Instagram famous by age 16.
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I can't imagine some of today's youngsters getting up in the early hours to deliver milk or newspapers. I was up at between 05:30 - 05:45 from the age of 12. We didn't get an 'allowance' for doing nothing.
That 20+ lad over the road, the one who lies in bed all day; he has money to get veneers on his teeth, buy a few pints in the pub etc, whilst his mum does two jobs to pay the rent ( nursery worker and takeaway deliveries). An utter disgrace.
I was hearing only last night, when I came back with Gus, that the grandchildren of the old couple a few doors down, they have stopped coming to see their poor old granny, ever since she went into a care home with dementia.
The elderly man, a retired butcher who now sufferes from MS, he told me that they will be getting nothing for Christmas and birthdays from now on, he is really hurt how they have repaid all their generosity over the years; I remember he even used to wax their cars for them, despite the MS.
I just feel there is something missing these days, a coldness has crept into people's hearts, a selfish, me first attitude.
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I would agree that some children may not be able to get up that early and work but there will be lots that could. The difference now is that it isn't necessary for them to do it. We've created this world for them so this is their normality.
I believe there has always been the issue of grandchildren not bothering to visit their grandparents. I certainly wish I had spent more time with mine, but at the time I had other things that I felt should take priority. It's only with age and hindsight that I can see that I should have put them first more often.
I understand the feeling that there is more coldness today. I think that's because we're able to live so much more independent lives. We can get our shopping delivered, we can catch up with family via facebook, and now more of us have cars so we don't use public transport. There isn't as much of a need to see and speak to people and that's really sad. There are definitely still lots of wonderful people in the world but maybe they're not as visible now?
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I wasn't in favor of a ban at first, but after deep consideration I do think it would be best. We prevent children from other harms such as being able to buy alcohol etc, this to me is no different.
It's a ban from social media not the entire internet, lots of websites and services will still be available to them.
Legislation to force the tech firms into less harmful practices just hasn't worked as it's incompatible with their business models, either on Government side (too weak) or compliance by the companies.
My generation had a childhood with no Internet, then basic services as a teen. We know that phones can be turned off, people can be blocked, you don't have to have notifications etc, later generations don't seem to realise these things as it's not the culture they were raised in.
I wouldn't want anyone to live without the Internet entirely, but social media is doing harm to children.
I've seen two sets of friends raise children one with high access to screens, one with barely any and the differences are startling. And they aren't yet social media age.
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I watched an interesting video yesterday about how the internet used to be a place. We typically had one family computer that sat on its own desk and we would go to it when we wanted to go online. Once we stepped away, we were offline. We don't have that now. The internet is everywhere and it's almost inescapable. My internet went down last week and I was unable to work or even use my TV. We're so reliant on it now.
Another thing is endless scrolling. There is no longer an end of a social media site. It will keep going and going which traps you. It's easy to say "just one more video" but it often ends up being much more than that. My friend has admitted that when she starts looking on TikTok, she stays there for over an hour and she feels grumpy afterwards. Even when it knowingly affects her mental health, she can't help but go back to it.
It's interesting about the 2 children you mention @Kimi87. What differences have you noticed? A lot of people I know, including myself, now have their phone on silent so they aren't constantly interrupted by notifications.
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Once the cat is out of the bad it is almost impossible to get it back in.
Some of my past employment involved bypassing some protocols, this was done as part of my job for and on behalf of my boss.
When the company was blocked from accessing a website ( needed for commerce ) I was called upon to get round it. Took me about 30 seconds, we contacted the website owner, we had been banned by accident. This was a technical issue on there end but we were unable to use the sight normally everything had to be done via my computer.
If people know something is out there they will look for it.
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These are some really interesting replies! Thank you😊
I agree with your point about social media and marginalised young people @Stellar. The first time I saw a young person with a similar disability to myself was on social media.
Making friends in school was tough for me but I ended up connecting with other young people on social media over a shared love for music and concerts. Nearly 15 years later, we’re still friends and without those friendships, my teenage years would have been a lot more isolated and difficult. Personally, I think I would have really struggled with the ban!
Do you feel like that could happen if we banned social media for young people @CarNineSix?1 -
@Mary_Scope take a look at where it has happen/happening or even where they were never had access to it ( legally ), such as China, North Korea and for many females in some areas.
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A strange thesis. For example, you don't have access to the social networks of China and North Korea. You are also restricted from the media of states that are hostile to the UK government. What conclusion can be drawn from this?
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Censorship is all around but you don't see it.
Is that good or bad and for whom?
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That's an interesting point @CarNineSix! Do you think there's situations where censorship is a positive thing?
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The only time I think censorship should be used is to protect younger people.
The issue then becomes what do you want to protect them from?
Then, who decides what is to be censored and what is not?
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Yes, it's a difficult one! And how do you prevent bias through that censorship when someone has the power to decide what is allowed and what is not?
I definitely go back and forth on what I think about it!
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Why do you constantly change your opinion on this issue?
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Censorship as a control element is considered useful by those who introduce it. The result is usually the opposite of what is expected.
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I wouldn't like to talk for @Rosie_Scope, but I know I go back and forth on this too and it's because it's a complicated issue with lots of nuances. It's okay to have conflicting or competing thoughts on a topic.
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A problem with censorship is how can you make your mind up if you don't know what your making your mind up about.
Then if you have been exposed to something you have been exposed to it so going forward why censor you from it.
If I ( male ) was a censor would I be bias to male views, to female views, a balanced view OR would I over compensate? This is why you need a team of different people but building that team is normally done within some format.
An example for here Scope; a quango is made up of six people. Two must have only physical limitations, two must have mental limitations, the must have both and each pair is male and female.
How many groups are not represented with my list BUT haw many is reasonable and the big one missing is me, not covered by the three groups, that is "normal".
Censorship is a minefield and I believe it goes to far sometimes and there is always unintended consequences.
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@CarNineSix I don't understand. What's missing from your list or are you not talking about children here?
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