The discussion in the UK about raising the minimum age for social media access to 16 has heated up this week despite freezing January temperatures across the country.
The Conservative party announced they will implement the ban if they win the next general election. The idea would follow a similar move in Australia, which became the first country in the world to bring in a nationwide ban stopping under-16s from using social media.
The Labour government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, does not currently support a full social media ban for under-16s. Instead, it says it is focusing on making sure children only see content that is suitable for their age.
However, this week, Keir Starmer said he’s considering an age limit on social media, which means this issue is live in Parliament right now, and your parents’ voices can genuinely influence what happens next.
• The NASUWT teachers' union has called for a ban, citing concerns about mental health and concentration in schools.
• A poll by Netmums indicated that 92% of parents would back a ban for under-16s.
Do you a agree a ban would make sense?
Ask your MP to raise the social media age to 16 – it takes 60 seconds
Smartphone Free Childhood, a UK-based parent-led charity focused on changing the culture around children and smartphone use, has created a simple interactive page on its website which means you can email your MP in less than a minute.
Launch the interactive page, enter your postcode and it will auto generate an email letter. All you need to fill in is your name, email address and home address.
Click this link to email your MP to raise the social media age to 16
You can also opt to be kept up to date about the campaign and find out more about joining the Smartphone Free Childhood parent group.
