The debate in the UK took on a fresh resonance in recent days after Esther Ghey, the mother of the murdered teenager Brianna, added her voice to those highlighting the dangers of smartphones.
"We'd like a law introduced, so that there are mobile phones that are suitable for under-16s," she told the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg.
"If you're over 16, you can have an adult phone, but then under the age of 16 you can have a children's phone, which will not have all of the social media apps that are out there now." In demanding tougher curbs on big tech, she echoed other bereaved parents who believe social media played a role in the loss of their children - including Ian Russell, whose daughter Molly took her own life after viewing harmful content online.
Ghey's intervention came days after social media bosses including the Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg faced a ferocious grilling in the US Senate over their companies' role in facilitating child sexual exploitation and drug use. He told them: "I'm sorry for everything you've been through." Some US legislators are already going further than castigating the titans of big tech: the conservative state of Florida is debating legislation aimed at banning under16s from using social media.
In the UK, reports before Christmas suggested Rishi Sunak was considering tougher curbs on social media use by children though the new Online Safety Act, years in the making and meant to protect children online, is still in the process of being implemented.
Bu hikaye The Guardian dergisinin February 12, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye The Guardian dergisinin February 12, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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