MEPs say under 16s should be banned from using phones

The next government should consider a legal ban on mobile phones in schools and a total ban on phones for under-16s, a report by MPs says. The House of Commons Education Committee said stricter guidance on mobile phones in schools and how children spend time at home is needed to better protect young people.

It argued that screen time was harmful to children’s mental and physical health, and both schools and parents needed clear guidance from the government on the issue. Earlier this year, the Department for Education issued guidance, which is not statutory, instructing headteachers on how to ban the use of phones not only during lessons, but also during breaks and lunches, and suggesting that staff could search pupils and their bags . for cell phones if needed.

But the commission said this did not go far enough. Its report said the next government should consult on raising the age of digital consent from 13 to 16 and should consider a blanket ban on smartphones for under-16s as well as a full legal ban of mobile phones in schools, indicating an increase. in children’s screen time and phone use that is consistent with a behavioral addiction.

It says that between 2020 and 2022 there has been a 52% increase in children’s screen time, with a quarter said to be using their devices in an addictive manner. The report said it found that for some, screen time starts as early as six months of age, with one in five children aged three to four now having their own mobile phone, with almost all children now having one. they were 12.

MPs on the committee said that while the Online Safety Act will play a role in protecting children from online harm, full protection will not come until the law is fully implemented in 2026. Committee chair Robin Walker said: ” Excessive screen and smartphone use has had a clear negative impact on the mental and physical well-being of children and young people.

“Our inquiry heard shocking statistics about the scale of harm caused to under-18s, particularly those who are already extremely vulnerable, such as those in care. Without urgent action, more children will be put at risk. From exposure to pornography, to criminal gangs using online platforms to recruit children, the online world presents serious dangers.

“Parents and schools face an uphill battle and the Government must do more to help them meet this challenge. This could require radical steps, such as potentially banning smartphones for under-16s. Our report found that checks in the digital age of consent are not fit for purpose. We have heard no evidence that 13-year-olds understand the ramifications of sharing personal information online, and today’s report urges the Government to raise that age to 16.

“It is also clear that children need face-to-face and in-person social contact to thrive. Our report found that screen time is inversely associated with working memory, processing, attention levels, language skills and executive function.

“While there may be some benefits to the online world and sharing information or interests with their peers, ready, unsupervised and unrestricted access to the internet leaves children vulnerable, exposing them to a world they are not equipped for. Their protection and protection must be our priority.”

However, online safety campaigner Ian Russell, whose daughter Molly, 14, took her own life after viewing harmful material on social media, said banning phones or accessing social media would “cause more harm than good” and “punish children. for tech companies’ failures to protect them.”

Mr Russell, who founded and is now chairman of suicide prevention charity the Molly Rose Foundation, said: “The next government needs to follow the evidence and deliver stronger regulations, not policies that are slower to implement and deliver results worse.

“The fastest and most effective way to protect children’s online safety and wellbeing is to strengthen the Online Safety Act in the next parliament and we are calling on all parties to commit to this in their manifestos.”