It was valuable to talk with some Mid Derbyshire parents at my office recently about the impact that smartphones at school are having on their children.
Children are growing up with the idea that if they don’t have a smartphone, they are different from their peers and are missing out. Social media has become an important tool for socialising: before digitalisation, young people would simply meet up after school at the park, for example.
Parents, teachers, and campaigners have spoken to me about how concerned they are about the negative impact on children. It goes beyond social exclusion: smartphones during school time gives them access to an array of apps and social media, making children anxious, distracted, and unable to focus on learning.
The Labour government has launched a landmark consultation urging parents, guardians, and young people to shape how the UK will take action on children’s digital wellbeing. It is important that we get this right, and involve as many people along the way as possible. We can’t put the genie back in the bottle as the world becomes more digitalised every day, but we can create a safer environment that prioritises protecting young people from its harm.