Letter: Have your say in Northern Ireland on social media for under-16s in public consultation

Whether under-16s should have access to social media is a major source of debate at the moment, and the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) is pleased to hear the UK government is asking for people’s opinions as part of their public consultation which was launched recently.

The status quo is not working for children, or for their parents who are desperate to keep them safe. Tech companies are failing to protect them from preventable risks and harms on social media platforms, gaming sites and AI tools.

This cannot be allowed to continue.

We encourage parents, carers and children in Northern Ireland to join the consultation. Give your views, your firsthand experience of the good and the bad of the online world and help decide what happens next.

The NSPCC is calling for tech companies to keep under-13s off social media – a move which would immediately protect 2.5 million children; for platforms to stop using design tricks which keep young people addicted, and to block harmful content at the source.

Making these crucial changes is in the power of government, regulators and tech companies and more effective than a social media ban for under-16s.

But at the same time, we recognise at the charity that a ban is better than doing nothing.

To have your say, go to www.gov.uk and search 'social media consultation’.

Chris Sherwood, NSPCC chief executive