ADCS against social media ban for under-16s

Members of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services oppose controversial ban proposed by MPs and children’s charities, arguing there is no evidence it will work as intended.

There have been some predictable responses to the government’s national consultation, Growing up in the online world, which closed just before midnight on May 26. But some have been surprised by the contribution made by the Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS).

Photo by Vitaly Gariev / Unsplash

The consultation sought views on a variety of proposed measures aimed at preparing children for the future, given rapid and unsettling technological change, to build on the legal requirements introduced by the Online Safety Act 2023. These potential new measures included age restrictions on social media and other services such as gaming sites and AI chatbots, as well as restrictions on addictive design features and risky functionalities, and better support for parents and families.

While the ADCS response acknowledges the evidence that clearly demonstrates the ‘scale and impact of the harms associated with being online’ – citing deep fake images and video, and addictive features on social media – it argues that, ‘a blanket social media ban for under 16s is not the correct course of action.’

There is, it says, ‘no evidence base to justify the age of 16 as a cut-off point.’ What’s more, such a ban would ‘directly contradict’ their government proposed reforms aimed at better engaging young people, such as the suggestion that the voting age be lowered to 16.

Instead, the ADCS proposes ‘more protective measures and greater enforcement [of] industry’. It wants to see ‘improved digital and media literacy for children, young people and their parents and carers’.

Even so, the ACDS supports proposals to make schools phone-free environments, even if school comprises a relatively small proportion of a child’s week.

A total ban has been recommended by, among others, the House of Commons’ Education Committee and the children’s charity Coram SARF. The later says the ban is needed because social media can ‘harm developing brains, particularly through algorithm-driven exposure to extreme content’.

Yesterday, the government published preliminary analysis of consultation responses, with 8,443 respondents in favour of a ban and 979 against. Some 8,098 respondents agreed or strongly agreed with minimum age access of at least 16, as opposed 315 who disagreed or strongly disagreed.

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