UK Doctors Urge Action Against Social Media Risks for Children
UK medics: Tackling child social media use like big tobacco fight
The Star
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Senior UK doctors are urging the government to address the dangers of social media for children, likening it to the fight against tobacco. A consultation aims to create evidence-based guidelines for screen time for children aged five to 16, amid calls for a ban on social media for those under 16.
- 01The Growing Up In The Online World consultation seeks to develop screen time guidelines for children aged five to 16.
- 02Half of the surveyed doctors reported treating children weekly for mental distress or injuries linked to online content.
- 03The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges compares social media's risks to those of smoking and seatbelt use.
- 04Former health secretary Wes Streeting supports a ban on social media for under-16s, citing addictive and harmful design.
- 05Prime Minister Keir Starmer plans to meet bereaved parents who blame social media for their children's deaths.
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In the UK, senior doctors are increasingly concerned about the dangers of social media for children, comparing it to the historical battle against tobacco. The Growing Up In The Online World consultation, which ends soon, aims to establish evidence-based screen time guidelines for children aged five to 16. Amid rising calls for a ban on social media for those under 16, Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to meet bereaved parents who attribute their children's deaths to social media use. The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges has submitted a report highlighting that half of surveyed doctors treat at least one child weekly for mental distress or injuries linked to online content. The academy's chair, Jeanette Dickson, emphasized the need for medical professionals to address excessive screen time. Former health secretary Wes Streeting has voiced support for a ban, likening big tech's practices to those of big tobacco, as they design addictive products aimed at children. Starmer has not ruled out any options but intends to wait for the consultation's conclusion before making decisions.
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The proposed guidelines and potential ban on social media for under-16s could significantly affect children's online safety and mental health.
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