The Digital Child Newsletter – 13th June
Edited by Luke Taylor
Big news:
Macron proposes a smartphone ban in his parliamentary election bid.
The House of Commons Education Committee recommend a phone ban.
X changes its policy to formally allow porn onto the social media platform.
+ A bumper crop this week to catch us all up!
France:
A bold ban on the campaign trail: French President Emmanuel Macron has endorsed a proposal to ban smartphone use before the age of 11 and restrict access to social media until the age of 15. The call came in the light of his recently commissioned report “Enfants et écrans”. The initiative, part of his campaign for early parliamentary elections, aims to address issues such as harassment and school dropout rates associated with excessive screen time.
"All the experts say that screen addiction is the breeding ground for all kinds of problems: harassment, violence, dropping out of school."
Emmanuel Macron
UK Education Committee:
Select committee of the month: The UK's Education Committee has released a report emphasising the significant risks of screen time for young children, advocating for stronger controls and guidance. The report highlights a dramatic increase in children's screen time, with nearly 25% showing signs of behavioural addiction. It called for the next government to consider a total ban on smartphones for children under 16, enforce stricter age verification for social media accounts and enhance parental controls by default. It also stressed the need for better balance between screen time, social interaction, and physical activity, urging revised government guidance for parents.
Prepare for a longer, but worth-your-while, quote from the chair of the Committee:
“Excessive screen and smartphone use has a clear negative impact on the mental and physical wellbeing of children and young people. Our inquiry heard shocking statistics on the extent of the damage being done to under-18s, particularly those who are already extremely vulnerable, such as those in care.
Without urgent action, more children will be put in harm’s way. From exposure to pornography, to criminal gangs using online platforms to recruit children, the online world poses serious dangers. Parents and schools face an uphill struggle and Government must do more to help them meet this challenge. This might require radical steps, such as potentially a ban on smartphones for under-16s.
Our report found that digital age of consent checks are not fit for purpose. We heard no evidence demonstrating that thirteen-year-olds understood the ramifications of sharing personal information online and today’s report urges the Government to increase this age to sixteen”
Robin Walker MP, chair of the Education Select Committee
Twitter:
X, or XXX? Elon Musk's social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), has updated its content policy to allow the sharing of adult content, provided it meets specific guidelines. These include obtaining consent, applying age-appropriate warnings, and ensuring such content is not prominently displayed. The new policy emphasised consensual production and distribution and mandated that explicit content be properly labelled. Restrictions are in place to prevent exposure to minors and those who opt out. The update replaces X’s previous ‘Sensitive Media and Violent Speech’ policies.
Some have now called for Musk to implement proper age verification in light of the policy change, rather than the current unfit-for-purpose self-provided age implementation.
“Ultimately, Musk’s legacy will not only be in technological developments, it will be in the adults whose sexuality was stolen when they were still just children.”
Big Tech:
Only fans feels the force: OnlyFans has faced some backlash over its decision to ban pornography on its platform, citing the need to secure banking and payment services. In response to concerns raised by adult content creators, the company tweeted reassurance, stating it is working to find solutions. The ban, set to begin on October 1st, aims to ensure the platform's long-term sustainability and comply with banking partners' requests. While nudity would still be allowed, it's currently unclear how the policy distinguishes between sexually explicit content and nudity. The decision follows challenges in attracting venture capital due to concerns about investing in a platform associated with adult content, particularly with around OnlyFans.
Meta’s shareholder meeting: Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg faced shareholder pressure to increase transparency regarding the company’s efforts to protect children online at their shareholder meeting. Meta was urged to publish an annual report tracking its performance on child safety following extensive criticism and legal action for its handling of the topic. Meta's board opposed the resolution, citing it as unnecessary. Meta highlighted steps taken to address child safety concerns but remains under regulatory scrutiny both in the US and Europe.
Francis Haugen, a previous whistleblower of Meta, was present on the call. She stated,
“Progress is urgently needed. In 2021, Meta's own data estimated that each day, 100,000 children faced sexual harassment on its platforms. Weekly, one in eight girls under the age of 16 reported experiencing unwanted sexual advances on Instagram.
Until Meta reports these numbers next to their quarterly profit and loss, these staggering statistics will not improve.”
Francis Haugen
The wider context (ft. Australia): Efforts to restrict children's social media use, such as raising the minimum age to 16, are gaining momentum in Australia. While intended to protect young people from online harm, some critics have highlighted significant privacy concerns and practical limitations of age verification technologies. These include methods like uploading ID documents or using biometric data, which they argue pose risks to users' personal information. They also argue that blanket bans could deprive children of valuable social interactions and information. Instead, they continue, effective social media use should focus on critical thinking and digital literacy, supported by parents and educators rather than solely relying on tech solutions.
See one rather upset critic below:
Around the World:
Global Safety Institute statistics:
300 million children: Directly following from the prior news, a report from the Childlight Global Child Safety Institute reveals that over 300 million children worldwide are victims of online sexual abuse and exploitation annually. South Asia records the highest number of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) alerts. The study, based on 125 studies and over 36 million reports, highlights the pervasive nature of this issue, affecting 12.6% of children globally. The report calls for urgent global action and stronger regulation to hold social media platforms accountable. Survivors and experts have called for this to be treated as a public health emergency and enhance global cooperation to combat it.
“This is a global health pandemic that has remained hidden for far too long. It occurs in every country and is growing exponentially. We need to act urgently and treat it as a public health issue that can be prevented. Children can’t wait.”
Paul Stanfield, CEO of Childlight.
UK:
Parental access: Ellen Roome, mother of 14-year-old Jools Sweeney, who was found dead in April 2022, is seeking access to her son's social media accounts to understand the reasons behind his death. Roome's petition, which aims to grant parents access to their children's social media data, had garnered 39,700 signatures but needed 100,000 by May 30, 2024, to be debated in Parliament. She argued this access is crucial for protecting children and uncovering potential causes of their deaths.
In response, labour has promised to give bereaved families access to their children’s social media “as fast as possible” if they win the election. Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper agreed that “urgent action” was needed.
“Since my son’s death, I have not been able to access information to see what my son was looking at that could have contributed to him taking his own life”
Ellen Roome
The phone-ban ball is rolling: Seventeen secondary schools in Southwark, London have collectively decided to ban smartphones during school hours to create better learning environments and address concerns over the negative impacts of smartphone use among students. School leaders believe that removing smartphones will reduce distractions and cyberbullying, encouraging students to engage more with their studies and peers.
“This collective decision aims to enhance learning environments and address growing concerns about the negative impacts of smartphone use among students.”
Telegraph article
Under 13’s, look away now: Despite new regulations, millions of children under 13 will likely remain exposed to harmful online content. Eight Leading peers have criticised Ofcom's draft children's code for not enforcing strict age limits on social media. They argue that without robust age verification, young children will continue to access inappropriate content. Ofcom decided against mandatory age verification due to the “impracticality” of physical ID checks and doubts about the accuracy of age assurance technology. The campaigners have urge Ofcom to reconsider with an open letter.
"We are bewildered at the decision to do nothing at all to protect children under 13, and at the same time give regulated companies safe harbour."
– The eight peers, including Baroness Kidron and our very own Lord Bethell.
Arkansas:
A phone-free future? Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, inspired by Jonathan Haidt’s “An Anxious Generation”, is advocating for policies to limit smartphone usage among children to combat addiction and its negative effects on their well-being. Recognising the impact of excessive screen time on children's mental and physical health, Governor Sanders is pushing for legislation that promotes digital well-being. The proposed measures include restricting smartphone access in schools and encouraging parents to monitor and limit their children's usage at home.
“Big Tech is one of the mightiest forces to ever appear on this earth; but despite significant setbacks, we must fight on to make the internet safe for our children. Victory is only possible if we don’t quit.”
New York:
Two new bills: In this explanatory interview, New York State Senator Andrew Gounardes outlines how he’s trying to protect the wellbeing and data of kids online by limiting addictive algorithms and data collection. He highlights some shocking stats, such as the rates of mental health problems doubling, tripling or quadrupling in the past decade. Moreover, in 2022, social media platforms made $11 billion purely in advertising to children.
Spain:
Spain jumps into the fray: Spain has announced stringent measures to safeguard children from social media's harmful effects. Justice Minister Feliz Bolanos revealed plans for default parental controls on smartphones, criminalizing AI-generated deepfakes with sexual content, and raising the age of data protection consent to 16. Seeking to reassure families about their children's digital safety, the actions now require parliamentary approval.
"We want to give families the peace of mind that when their children are in a digital environment, they can be sure that the government of Spain cares for them."
Justice Minister Feliz Bolanos
Malaysia:
A conference on harms: The Malaysian government plans to conduct a nationwide study and organise a conference on online safety and legal policy, as announced by Minister Azalina Othman Said. The study will gather data on current online safety practices and issues, while the conference will bring together experts, policymakers, and stakeholders to discuss and develop strategies for online protection. Minister Azalina has emphasised the importance of proactive measures to safeguard citizens in the digital age. The date of the conference is yet to be announced.
Editor’s picks:
Elon Musk on X: "A lot of social media is bad for kids, as there is extreme competition between social media AIs to maximize dopamine!"
Lord Bethell on X: "Parliamentarians made it clear social media companies should enforce Ts&Cs banning under-13s. Filth, predators and algorithms that screw with your head. It's baffling and wrong that @Ofcom is giving them a pass. Peers' letter asking for a re-think.👇
Emma Loffhagen on X: "I wrote about the scars of growing up as part of the guinea pig generation of smartphone kids, and why the growing smartphone-free childhood movement has my vote📱👇🏽
Julie Miville-Dechêne on X: "Setting the record straight on S-210, a bill to prevent children from accessing online porn