In addition to revealing that half of children under 13 use social media, campaigners are voicing worry over recent Ofcom statistics
According to recent data from the communications regulator Ofcom, half of kids under 13 use social media, and 25% of three- and four-year-olds in the UK own a smartphone. These numbers surface as pastors consider banning all children under the age of sixteen from possessing cell phones.
The research also shows that youngsters of preschool and younger age are significantly and increasingly engaging in online activities. Social media use among children aged five to seven has increased to 38% from 30% the previous year, and 76% of them use tablets.
The findings will support the recommendations made to Rishi Sunak by those who advocate limiting young children’s access to phones and social media
Within weeks, ministers will begin a consultation on possible actions, official sources have stated. The consultation will suggest raising the legal age limit for social media sites from 13 to 16 and prohibiting the sale of cell phones to anybody under the age of 16. It will also facilitate the installation of parental controls on gadgets. Ofcom reports that half of youngsters between the ages of three and twelve use at least one social networking app, despite the minimum age restriction of thirteen.
“Children as young as five should not be accessing social media, and these stark findings show why our Online Safety Act is essential,” stressed technology secretary Michelle Donelan in a statement.
Most platforms claim they do not permit individuals under the age of 13 to use their services, and the act will ensure that companies uphold these restrictions, or else they could face substantial fines. Failure to comply with Ofcom’s decisions and ensure children’s safety could result in their executives facing imprisonment.
She further stated, “Safeguarding children online is our top priority, and we will not hesitate to strengthen the act to ensure their safety.”
These figures emerge at a time of increasing evidence regarding the impact of widespread social media use among children. The US government has cautioned that social media presents a “significant risk” to the mental health and well-being of children and teenagers, with the prevalence of depression and anxiety among children and adolescents increasing by nearly 30% in recent years.
The importance of addressing this trend was stressed by social psychologist Haidt of New York University’s Stern School of Business. In order to create a new norm, he recommended that parents work with schools to say, “Do not provide children smartphones until the end of secondary education, around age 16.”
Advocates for children’s internet safety also pushed for government action. The NSPCC called for severe implementation of the Online Safety Act, which includes tools for enforcing age limits on social media, while the Molly Rose Foundation underlined that Ofcom must take action against platforms that disregard age limitations.
The data point to an increasing systemic problem with social media and smartphone usage, according to Joe Ryrie, co-founder of the Smartphone Free Childhood initiative.
According to Ofcom’s annual survey on children’s internet behaviour, the proportion of five to seven-year-olds who make voice and video calls or send messages has climbed from 59% to 65% in comparison with the previous year. Children in that age bracket used TikTok at a rate of 25% to 30%, but WhatsApp usage increased from 29% to 37%.
Currently, 96% of kids between the ages of three and 17 use the internet, with most of the 4% who don’t use it being three or four years old. 84% of respondents, even those in this youngest age group, utilise the internet.
Younger children who have access to the internet typically use tablets, while older secondary school students are more likely to own smartphones—over 95% of 12- to 15-year-olds own a mobile phone.
The smartphone data came from an Ofcom study of 2,480 parents of children between the ages of three and seventeen. According to Ofcom, a smartphone is a gadget that makes it simple for users to surf websites, download apps, and generally access the internet.