Scottish Government must ban mobile phones from classrooms – Melanie Ward MP
Last week I submitted my new online safety report, as evidence to the UK Government’s consultation on social media.
Containing responses from local teachers, parents, and 166 survey responses from 13-15 year olds in local schools, the report compiles views from across our community on the impacts of, and how we should tackle, the growing problems caused by social media.
I want to thank everyone who shared their views with me, as well as Fife Council and our wonderful local schools for their support.
What our report shows is deeply troubling. Many children in Fife are being bullied, contacted by strangers, and exposed to violent content online, and they are often not reporting it to adults. Teachers are witnessing the consequences every day, and parents are crying out for help.
The findings are stark: 40% of young people said that they themselves or someone they know has been bullied, threatened, or blackmailed through social media. More broadly, 71% had been contacted online by someone they did not know, and 40% had received messages which made them uncomfortable.
Perhaps most alarming is what young people do not do when this happens. Over half said they would not tell a parent or teacher if a stranger contacted them online, or were unsure whether they would. More than half are spending over six hours each weekday online, yet they don’t believe that this is influencing their lives.
The fact that children could not fully articulate the harm being done to them only strengthens the case for action. If children cannot identify the damage, they cannot protect themselves from it. Social media companies are profiting from algorithms designed to make our kids addicted to their products.
Teachers also raised serious concerns about the impact on behaviour in schools, including the normalisation of misogynistic attitudes among some pupils. Parents have expressed frustration about their inability to protect their children in a digital environment that is nearly impossible to control. Families and schools are often left to manage the consequences without sufficient support.
As the online response to Dunnikier Primary’s lovely recent Diversity Day demonstrated, social media is often a cesspit.
We need stronger regulation and greater responsibility placed on social media platforms to protect our young people. The UK Government must bring in a statutory social media ban for under-16s. The Scottish Government should also ban mobile phones from classrooms. There is no more time to waste.