This article has been brought to you by Slough Borough Council on behalf of Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and Department for Education for the attention of all schools.
The UK government has launched a consultation on children's use of social media to protect young people's wellbeing and ensure safer online experiences. The consultation will seek views on various measures, including: the right minimum age for children to access social media, including a potential ban for children under a certain age; ways to improve the accuracy of age assurance for children; restrictions on addictive features of social media; and further interventions to support parents in helping their children stay safe online. Immediate action will include Ofsted checking school mobile phone policy on every inspection, with schools expected to become phone-free. The government will respond to the consultation in the summer. The NSPCC has published a response highlighting the role of social media and online communities in children’s lives and calling for technology companies to be held to account.
Read the news story: Government to drive action to improve children’s relationship with mobile phones and social media