SHOULD TEENS BE ON SOCIAL MEDIA?

The government is considering a ban for under-16s, but not everyone is in favour

- LOUISE BATY

These days, it seems children learn to scroll before they can read or write. But it's unsurprising youngsters are so tech savvy. Nine in 10 own a mobile phone by 11 and three-quarters of those using social media aged between eight and 17 have their own accounts.

Yet social media has its dark sides, with parents and experts highlighting the dangers to young people's wellbeing. These include seeing harmful, violent or sexual content, and being targeted by groomers and cyberbullies, or even becoming cyberbullies themselves. Devastatingly, on average a UK family loses a young person to suicide where technology plays a role every week.

Just recently Australia's parliament approved one of the world's strictest laws, banning under-16s from using social media. Now many are urging the UK government to consider a similar ban.

'There is extensive evidence that smartphones and social media are changing childhood for the worse. Governments need to stand up for children and crucially, the onus should be on tech firms, not parents, to sort this out,' says Daisy Greenwell, co-founder and director of grassroots movement Smartphone Free Childhood.

Snapchat recently announced updates to the app's 'Family Centre', including travel notifications and location sharing to make it easier for families to stay connected. It's also partnered with UK charity Childnet to launch a parent's online safety checklist. But is it enough, or is a blanket ban the only answer? We investigate.

INSTABAN All under 16s face social media BAN over 'grotesque impacts' on kids' wellbeing

'Cyberbullying drove my son to suicide'

Nikki Moody, 49, believes a social media ban for under-16s is the only way to protect vulnerable children.