Anas Sarwar backs child social media ban

Anas Sarwar has backed an Australian-style ban on social media for under 16s.

Claiming social media is “fuelling” a mental health “emergency” among young people, the Scottish Labour leader said a ban would protect them from “harmful and hateful content”.

The UK Government announced last month it was consulting on such a measure.

But it is also exploring alternative ways to protect young people online, including restricting features on apps designed to hold user engagement or implementing phone curfews.

Sarwar said raising the age of digital consent would “give kids the childhood they deserve”.

He added: “We cannot stand by young people are being failed by a system that doesn’t protect them.

“Scottish Labour has long called for a ban on mobile phones in schools, so classrooms can become safe places to learn again – but we need to go further.

“We need to stand with parents and give kids the childhood they deserve by delivering a full ban on social media use for under-16s. This will help protect young people from harmful and hateful content online and it will free them from their phones so they can enjoy these years.”

Australia become the first county in the world to ban children from accessing social media platforms in December.

Ten platforms are currently covered by the ban, with social media companies facing fines if they do not enforce it.

UK ministers are expected to visit Australia as they consider implementing their own ban.

The consultation would also see stricter rules around phones in schools in England, though this would not apply to Scotland as it’s a devolved area.

Scottish ministers have resisted the idea of a mandatory ban on phones in schools, instead opting to include this in guidance and leaving the final decision to headteachers.