A cross-party committee of MPs has warned that children are arriving at school “too tired to learn” because of late-night scrolling on social media platforms. The Education Committee has called for a ban on social media for children under 16, citing the harmful effects of features like infinite scrolling, autoplay, and private messaging.
Call for Stricter Regulation
The committee argues that tech companies cannot be relied upon to self-regulate and that the government must treat online harms to children as a safeguarding and public health issue. An ongoing consultation is due to close next week, considering measures including age restrictions and curfews. There are widespread calls for an Australian-style ban on children’s social media use, though questions remain over its effectiveness.
Impact on Schools
Teachers have reported spending “significant” time managing issues related to phones, social media disputes, and the consequences of online behaviour. This has affected relationships between staff and pupils due to the “constant enforcement of rules and mediation of incidents,” detracting from children’s actual education.
Parental Responsibility and Statistics
The Smartphone Free Childhood movement urges parents to sign a pact not to give their child a smartphone until at least age 14 and social media at 16. They cite alarming statistics: the average teen spends 35 hours a week on a smartphone; children spend 65% less time with friends since the iPhone launch; 30% less time outside compared to 1975; screen-based activities have risen 23%; 90% of girls and 50% of boys have received unsolicited explicit content; 51% of 11-13-year-olds have unintentionally seen pornography; and 75% of 15-year-olds have been sent beheading videos.
Committee Chair’s Statement
Helen Hayes, chair of the committee, said: “From bullying and misogyny to abuse and sexual exploitation, children and young people growing up today face a deluge of serious harms whenever they log on to social media. The same platforms that connect them to their friends or introduce them to new hobbies are putting their mental health and wellbeing at risk. In the most extreme cases, inaction can have truly horrific consequences.”
Evidence from Tragic Cases
The committee highlighted evidence from Esther Ghey, mother of murdered teenager Brianna Ghey, and Andy Burrows, chief executive of the Molly Rose Foundation, set up in memory of 14-year-old Molly Russell who took her own life in 2017. Burrows told MPs about the “devastating and tragic consequences that online harms can have in the most extreme cases.”
Design Features and Accountability
MPs found that harms occur due to features designed into apps, such as infinite scrolling, autoplay, and private messaging. They recommend mandatory restrictions on these “high-risk and addictive” features for under-18s. The committee expressed “serious concerns” over social media companies not demonstrating enough accountability, noting that representatives often framed harm as “an inevitable feature of a fast-moving digital environment” rather than a consequence of design choices and failures in monitoring risks.
Government Action and School Policies
The committee urged the government to impose enforceable duties on platforms to prioritise child safety, with “meaningful sanctions” for non-compliance. They found that children, parents, carers, and schools have “too much responsibility” in managing online harms. On mobile phones in classrooms, MPs supported the government’s decision to make guidance on phone bans statutory but said schools should not adopt a “not seen or heard” policy, as it does not completely prevent use. Schools should either adopt a phone-free policy or have students lock away devices in pouches or lockers, with funding provided. Exemptions should be made for children who need smartphones for assistive technology or young carers.
National Guidance and Future Legislation
The report also found existing advice for parents and carers unclear, recommending the government release national guidance with age-appropriate principles for screen use. Last month, Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said proposals to restrict social media for under-16s would be put forward by the summer, with plans to legislate before the end of the year. Peers have voted multiple times to press the Commons into accepting a social media ban.
