The drama Adolescence has focused attention on the dangers facing young people via social media (Image: Courtesy of Netflix)
The success of Netflix drama Adolescence has fuelled calls for Government ministers to wake up to the danger to young people posed by smartphones, social media and toxic online “influencers”. Campaigners pushing for urgent action say politicians are "far behind the public on this issue".
The four-part series portrays how a family is devastated when a 13-year-old boy is arrested on suspicion killing a female classmate.
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Miriam Cates, a former Conservative MP who is deeply concerned about the plight of British boys, said the drama struck a chord with “millions of parents, teachers and teenagers who recognise the extraordinary and too often negative influence of the online world on young men”.
She warned that children with smartphones are just a “click away from the kind of toxic content that desensitise them to violence, seeds and nurtures grievances and leads them into harm and depravity”.
Ms Cates, who is now a GB News presenter and a senior fellow at the Centre for Social Justice, said that the “internet is no place for children, describing “a space where paedophiles, predators and pornographers roam free”.
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Daisy Greenwell, co-founder of the Smartphone Free Childhood campaign, said: “Politicians are so far behind the public on this issue. The tech is so fast- moving and the slow wheels of Government have yet to catch up and it’s kids, parents and society that are losing out.
“We urgently need to put legislation in place to protect all kids. Raising the age of social media to 16 would be a great start, as would removing phones from the school day entirely.”
Shadow Education Secretary Laura Trott said the Labour Government should have got behind Conservatives’ bid to ban phones in school.
She said: “The damage smartphones and social media are doing to children’s education and mental health is undeniable. We need a cultural shift to protect children, starting in the classroom.
“The Department for Education’s research shows phones disrupt nearly half of GCSE classes every day. Teachers, parents, and pupils want action—that’s why the PM and Education Secretary were wrong to dismiss our proposal to ban phones in schools as a ‘waste of time’ and a ‘gimmick.’”
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Matt Buttery, chief executive of the Triple P parenting programme, said the Netflix drama had laid bare the dangers of online bullying and misogynistic “incel culture”.
He said: “Excluding screens and online access is not realistic for most families. Rather, the challenge as parents is to help equip our children to navigate this complex digital landscape. There’s no one way to do things but as a start, I would encourage parents to have open and honest conversations with their children about their online activity, social media use and how to stay safe online.
“Parents can lead by example and support children to develop healthy screen time habits by being aware of their own screen usage, taking time as a whole family to unplug from screens and enjoy quality time without phones – like dinner time. They can also think about activities that don’t involve screens – whether it’s taking a walk outdoors and spending time in nature, playing a board game, or doing a creative project.”
Rani Govender of the NSPCC said Adolescence highlighted the “unacceptable risks many young people face in today’s online world”
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However, she cautioned: “While recognising these serious risks, we must acknowledge that social media offers important benefits for young people including educational opportunities, social connection and access to support networks. Simply banning under-16s from these platforms is not the answer, as this could potentially drive children to less secure, unregulated spaces where risks may be even greater.”
“What’s needed is effective enforcement of existing age restrictions, better safety-by-design principles, and empowering both parents and children with the knowledge to navigate the digital world safely.”
A Government spokesperson said: “Mobile phones are a distraction from learning which is why our clear guidance sets out that school leaders should be restricting their use. Around 97% of schools already restricted mobile phone use in some way even before the guidance was introduced, while headteachers also have the ability to implement complete bans, with many choosing to exercise this right.”