Teenagers who defy social media ban ‘less likely to air concerns to adults’
A ban for under-16s is set to come into force by spring, with Prime Minister Andy Burnham pledging last week in Parliament that there will be “no watering down”
More than two-thirds of young people think their peers will find a way around the social media ban, according to a survey said to show the Government move could give parents a “false sense of security” about their children’s safety online.
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A ban for under-16s is set to come into force by spring, with Prime Minister Andy Burnham pledging last week in Parliament that there will be “no watering down” as he vowed to “lead from the front” on the issue.
Many parents and child safety campaigners have welcomed the commitment to a ban for young teenagers.
But the Molly Rose Foundation, set up in memory of 14-year-old Molly Russell, who took her own life in 2017 after viewing harmful content online, has previously argued a ban might fail to address what it describes as “fundamental product safety issues” such as harmful and distressing content being pushed to people through personalised algorithms.
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New polling it has commissioned suggests young people who get around the ban and stay on social media might feel less confident speaking to adults or teachers if they come across anything concerning.
Of the 1,041 children aged between 12 and 15 surveyed across Britain, around three quarters (76 per cent) said they would be confident speaking to a parent or carer with concerns about online safety if they stayed on social media despite the ban.
This was down from 88 per cent being confident speaking to these trusted adults currently, with no ban in place.
Asked what would likely happen after the introduction of a ban for under-16s, 68 per cent of those surveyed said they believed most of their peers would try to find a way around it, while 15 per cent felt most would follow the rules.
Kate Edwards, from the foundation, said: “The ban alone will not protect young people from online harm, and this is something that should concern us all.
“Keeping young people safe and healthy online depends not only on reducing their exposure to harm, but also on ensuring they feel able to talk about their worries and seek support.”
The research was carried out alongside the Breck Foundation, which was launched after 14-old Breck Bednar from Caterham in Surrey was murdered by a 19-year-old who had groomed him online.
The organisation’s chief executive, Erica Thornton, said: “Our real worry is that a ban gives everyone a false sense of security.
“Sixty-eight per cent of young people told us they think most teens will find a way around it, which shows that switching off platforms doesn’t switch off the risk.
“Regulation is welcome, but it can’t fix the problem alone. What actually keeps young people safer is making sure trusted adults are properly equipped to have honest, judgment-free conversations.
“That’s the gap Breck Foundation exists to close, and it’s why we back a trusted-adult approach sitting alongside any regulation, not replacing it.”