• Parents witness the negative effects of social media on their children daily, including anxiety, withdrawal, inescapable pressures, and disruptions to sleep patterns and academic performance.
A recent study reported by the UK-based newspaper The Telegraph found that parents see social media as the biggest threat to their children’s mental health, the Al Qabas newspaper reported.
According to a survey of 2,100 parents, social media and prolonged screen time were identified as the greatest threats to children, ranking first at 45%, alongside concerns such as bullying, smoking, and health issues.
The study comes ahead of the UK’s Online Safety Act, set to take effect next month, which will require companies to remove harmful online content for children or face fines of up to 10% of their global revenue.
UK Technology Minister Peter Kyle predicted that the country’s communications regulator will take a “more aggressive” stance towards social media companies.
The Telegraph reported that the poll supports this trend, with 86% of parents favoring an increase in the so-called “digital age of consent” from 13 to 16—the minimum age for children to access social media.
The newspaper quoted experts stating that parents witness the negative effects of social media on their children daily, including anxiety, withdrawal, inescapable pressures, and disruptions to sleep patterns and academic performance.
