Top doctors equate social media harm to smoking for young people
Senior UK doctors have warned that social media use poses a health risk to young people comparable to smoking. The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges has urged doctors to routinely assess screen time and social media habits when treating younger patients. This call comes amid ongoing government consultations on regulating social media access for children under 16.
Why this matters
The comparison of social media harm to smoking highlights growing concerns about the physical and mental health impacts of online activity on children and teenagers. With increasing screen time linked to issues such as exposure to extreme violence and potential addiction, medical professionals see a need for early identification and intervention. The government’s response could lead to new regulations affecting millions of young users and the platforms they use.
Key developments in government policy
The UK government has been consulting on measures to improve online safety for children under 16. Options under consideration include banning social media for this age group, similar to recent moves in Australia, as well as implementing app curfews and stronger age verification checks. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall has indicated that a formal response to the consultation will be announced in the summer, with new rules expected by the end of the year.
Since March, the government has sought input from parents, children, charities, and campaign groups, receiving around 70,000 submissions. The consultation also covers emerging issues such as children’s access to AI chatbots and the enforcement of age restrictions on platforms like Roblox and Discord, which are not covered by Australia’s current rules.
Medical perspective and recommendations
The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges has highlighted the need for doctors and health professionals to be trained in recognizing unhealthy social media use. They recommend recording potential harms to better understand the scale of the problem. Suggested restrictions include disabling features like auto-play and infinite scroll, and introducing night-time curfews to limit screen time.
The Academy’s submission emphasizes the physical and mental health risks associated with exposure to harmful online content, including extreme violence. They advocate for clear guidance to help healthcare workers identify and address these issues during consultations with young patients.
Public and campaigner views
Campaigners are divided on the best approach to protecting children online. Some, including police leaders and bereaved families, support a ban on social media for under-16s until platforms can prove their products are safe. Ellen Roome, who lost her 14-year-old son, is among those urging the government to raise the minimum age for social media access to 16.
Conversely, other groups argue that banning social media may not be effective. Concerns have been raised about children circumventing restrictions, as seen in Australia. Some advocates call for better enforcement of existing laws rather than introducing outright bans. An open letter from child safety charities suggests aligning social media content standards with those used by the British Board of Film Classification for films.
Industry response and future outlook
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has proposed handling age verification at the device level to prevent underage users from downloading certain apps. However, Technology Secretary Liz Kendall has stated that the government will proceed with regulatory action regardless of potential resistance from tech companies.
Kendall emphasized the importance of implementing lasting measures that protect children’s wellbeing, saying, “No one’s going to stop me from doing what I think is right for this country.”
Recommended reading
For more context, see related Peack News coverage and explainers linked below.
