Mumsnet campaign demands ban on social media for under-16s

"Families are living with the harm caused by social media every day. This isn't about parents failing to set boundaries. It's about children being exposed to products deliberately designed to be addictive. Parents are watching the consequences unfold in real time: compulsive use, lost sleep, rising anxiety and collapsing self-esteem, while the companies responsible continue to profit."

"The idea that this can be fixed with better parenting or more guidance is a convenient fiction. You can't out-parent a business model built on addiction. This campaign shines a light on the damage phone addiction is doing to under-16s and calls on politicians to stop wringing their hands and take decisive action to protect children from addictive technology."

Mumsnet has initiated a national advertising campaign featuring billboards and social media advertisements styled as cigarette packet warnings to advocate for a complete ban on social media for children under 16. The campaign highlights specific health risks: three or more hours daily increases self-harm likelihood, phone addiction doubles anxiety risk, social media use elevates eating disorder risk, and addictive use correlates with higher suicidal behavior risk. Founder Justine Roberts emphasizes that social media platforms are deliberately designed to be addictive and that parental boundaries alone cannot counteract business models prioritized for profit. The campaign urges citizens to contact their MPs demanding legislative action. This represents an escalation of Mumsnet's broader Rage Against the Screen initiative seeking stronger youth social media regulation, supported by research showing 92% of parents express concern about social media's effects on children.

Read at www.theguardian.com