Children in Scotland responds to UK social media ban for under-16s
Children in Scotland has responded to the UK Government’s announcement that it will ban social media for under-16s welcoming action to help safeguard children and young people online while also restating its concerns that a blanket ban is a “very blunt tool” that will not immediately improve safety and wellbeing online.
Children in Scotland welcomes the fact that the UK Government is taking action to help safeguard children and young people online, and we are pleased to see that some of the recommendations from our consultation response appear to have been incorporated.
Despite that, our position, informed by the views of children and young people we work with and our membership of organisations working across Scotland, is that we do not support a blanket ban on social media for all under-16s.
This is a complex issue, and we feel that this is a very blunt tool that will not immediately make all children and young people safer. It will, in fact, have negative impacts on whole groups who depend on social media for connectivity, support and their development.
A major concern with a blanket ban for under-16s is that children and young people may be pushed into less regulated online areas. To mitigate these unintentional consequences, we believe that legislation should focus on ensuring platform providers take greater responsibility for making online spaces safer for all while also ensuring that children’s rights are upheld – as the Irish Online Health Taskforce recommended, incorporating ‘Child Rights by Design’ principles into design, features and functioning of their services.
It is also disappointing that the views, voices and experiences of children and young people do not appear to have been given due weight of consideration – incorporation of UNCRC in Scotland means we have a duty to listen to their views. Alongside this, the consultation responses and positions of other key players, such as the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland and NSPCC to name two, have not been fully embedded. This range of groups and organisations are experts either in their own lives or the areas they work in and should have been listened to.
Moving forward, children and young people, parents and carers and the workforce must not only be key contributors to legislation, but they will also need support and guidance to allow for effective implementation and management of the changes that are coming and any consequences of these. Government pressure needs to remain focused on ‘big tech’ and platforms providers to use their vast wealth and technological power to ensure that all users of social media and online spaces are safe.
We will review the detail of proposals as they emerge and continue to advocate for evidence‑based approaches to improve children’s safety and wellbeing online.
We are keen to continue discussions through The Digital Conversation project we are delivering this year, where we aim to provide space for nuanced debate, considering the complexities of the subject.
