This article makes references to suicide, murder and bullying. Reader discretion is advised.
A phone ban for under-16s has been recommended by the House of Commons Education Committee which the then chair Robin Walker explained was a measure to combat the rising number of mental health issues among children and young people.
On 25 May, the committee officially called for a complete ban on under-16s owning smartphones. This is on top of pre-existing yet non-statutory guidance on restrictions head teachers can put in place regarding phone use at school. The proposal has elicited mixed reactions.
Phone ban: initial plan and potential development
The proposal, brought forward under the previous Conservative government, aims to ban all smartphone ownership for under-16s as well as a statutory ban on phone use in schools. The committee went on to recommend that parental controls should be automatically installed on phones as a way of ensuring that children do not access inappropriate content.
Conservative MPs had previously raised the question over smartphone ownership for under-16s in relation to rising rates of mental health problems among children and adolescents. Former Penistone and Stocksbridge MP and teacher Miriam Cates asked about the possibility of a social media or smartphone ban for under-16s in Prime Minister’s Questions in reference to the case of Mia Janin, a 14-year-old who took her own life after experiencing cyberbullying.
When asked about the idea, Prime Minister Keir Starmer had said that he did not support a complete ban on smartphone ownership for under-16s as he had doubts over the practicality of the proposal. However, Starmer has expressed a desire to explore other methods of protecting children from harmful online material.
International precedent for phone restrictions
Much of the debate about reducing phone usage has been framed around schools, with UNESCO calling for a smartphone ban in all classrooms and regulations to combat the overuse of digital devices in schools. A number of countries have implemented either bans or restrictions on phones in school.
France enacted a phone ban in schools for under-16s back in 2018 and in the final years of school, the French government has allowed individual schools to decide their policies. The Netherlands imposed a complete ban on smartphones, tablets, smartwatches and other similar devices in classrooms at the start of 2024.
China has put stricter measures forward, implementing a two-hour daily screen time limit for 16-18 year olds. Additionally, the country has put a 30% limit on the use of digital devices in lessons.
Split opinions among parents
An April YouGov poll showed that views vary greatly among parents. Those with children under 11 years of age are most likely to support the proposal, with 37% doing so. However, 52% of parents who have children between the ages of 11 and 15 oppose the idea, which is significantly higher than the 38% disapproval rate nationally.
One parent who does not agree with the idea is Ian Russell, the father of 14-year-old Molly who took her own life after viewing distressing content on social media. Sky News quotes him as saying that a phone ban would end up creating more problems than it solves and that “the quickest and most effective route to protect children’s online safety is to strengthen the Online Safety Act”.
Esther Ghey, the mother of 16-year-old Brianna who was murdered by two of her classmates, has been calling for a social media ban on all devices owned by under-16s. Ghey further proposed that any inappropriate searches by children be immediately reported to parents as it was revealed that Scarlett Jenkinson, one of her killers, had accessed dangerous and violent material online.
However, Nicola Jones, the mother of a seven-year-old boy, has expressed concerns to the BBC about young children using phones. She noted that at her son’s school, children start having smartphones in year five. Despite working in the technology sector as a web designer, she raised questions of whether it was necessary for children of that age to have a smartphone and she expressed worries that the addictive nature of the device is negatively affecting the usually carefree experience of childhood.
Questions and scepticism from young people and experts
In an article for The Conversation, IT Ethics and Digital Rights Professor Andy Phippen from Bournemouth University noted that in his research he had found that while children do end up coming across harmful content on social media, an outright ban may prove difficult to implement. Phippen pointed to the fact that the second-hand market for phones is prevalent and that there will be challenges regarding age verification should the ban be put into law. Phippen also expressed fears that a ban may end up eroding trust between children and adults as young people may fear being punished should they fall victim to an upsetting online experience.
These are views that have been echoed by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC). In their written evidence statement to parliament, the organisation highlighted the importance of online interaction to children both socially and educationally and that technology usage alone does not say much about what is being viewed in that time. With that, the charity also warned that screentime limits could end up alienating young people from the conversation about online safety and that schools require greater support when it comes to teaching about the topic.
Among teenagers, 15-year-old Jasper told BBC News that he has experienced both the positive and negative aspects of phone and social media use. He explained that while arguments do break out more easily, “having social media and having a phone, if used correctly, can be helpful for finding other people that you connect with”. 16-year-old Harry saw the issue differently, saying that a ban may be more effective regarding a younger age group. However, he did add that phone overuse among teenagers is a problem he has observed.
In the end, it’s clear that banning phone use and ownership for under-16s is a controversial measure, both practically and in the court of public opinion. But with Prime Minister Starmer openly considering different policies on the subject in relation to the issue of children’s mental health, it remains to be seen what steps the Labour government will take to combat the problem.
