Blanket ban on social media for under-16s not the answer
In this Viewpoint piece one of Shetland’s two members of the Scottish Youth Parliament, Beenie-Ann Wood, reflects on the recent decision to ban social media for under-16s
SAFEGUARDING or punishment?
This is the question many young people find themselves asking regarding the social media ban. This dramatic and sudden ban affects young people in major ways. Social media has become a key part of our lives, whether it’s for entertainment, educational or social purposes.
Whilst the Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) understands the dangers that come with social media both in terms of its content and addictive nature, it’s not young people’s fault that they have grown up into a generation which is constantly surrounded by social media and addictive algorithms they have no control over.
This is where the problem lies. Why should young people face punishment for the dangerous work of technology companies who create this content and algorithms?
The SYP put it perfectly in this policy which passed with 96 per cent in 2021:
“The Scottish Youth Parliament believes that there should be greater legislative restrictions placed on the data collected by social media platforms in order to create a safer online environment, limit the risk of social media addiction and reduce the spread of misinformation and conspiracies”
To continue on from this, a SYP motion was recently passed stating:
‘The Scottish Youth Parliament opposes the proposed social media ban for under 16s in the UK’.
This clearly shows it’s an ongoing issue which the SYP has been asking for action on for years.
Yes, action must be taken to tackle the ever-growing dangers of the online world, however the Scottish Youth Parliament do not believe a blanket ban will solve these problems. In fact, a ban on social media for under 16s may well lead to new risks and feed the issue further.
A complete ban will likely push young people to find unsafe, less regulated ways to access content online such as lying about their age on platforms, therefore putting them at risk of inappropriate content.
As always, the Scottish Youth Parliament believes young people should have a say in decision-making, especially decisions that affect them and only them. This is why it seems harsh and unfair for a ban on social media to be put in place with such little, if any input from the young people themselves. As a rights respecting country, there is confusion as young people feel Article 12 of the UNCRC, Respect for Children’s Views, has not been considered in the decision for a ban.
The long-term dangers are not known to us, and so action must happen now – whether this action will tackle the problem or just create new ones is a battle we are yet to face.
Young people need support and guidance, not their rights disrespected. The dangers of the online world will not disappear at 16, and when that time comes, young people need to feel prepared to handle social media in a responsible way.
Young people want action as well, just not in this abrupt manner, we need more than a ban to solve the issue. This is something which needs to be worked on together in order to make an impact.
Young people welcome the opportunity to truly understand social media and its dangers as we too want a safer, more regulated online world.
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