This week, Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament (MSYPs) and 152 young people have written to the Prime Minister asking him to reconsider the social media ban. MSYPs are concerned that a blanket social media ban will push young people into riskier ways of accessing social media. They want the UK Government to consider the implications of a ban on the use of children’s rights. The MSYPs have also invited the Prime Minister to meet with young people in Scotland to discuss this further.
Read the full letter below. You can also watch the MSYPs read the letter to the Prime Minister on our YouTube channel here.
The Rt Hon Andy Burnham MP
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
10 Downing Street
London
SWW1A 2AA
Dear Prime Minister,
Congratulations on your appointment. As young people across Scotland and their representatives, we are writing to ask you to reconsider proposals for a social media ban for under-16s. We want safer online spaces. However, we do not believe this ban is based in solid evidence, and young people are telling us it will push young people into even riskier online spaces.
Whilst we strongly urge you to reconsider these proposals, we also believe that, if this policy is taken forward, young people must have a meaningful role in shaping its implementation. We therefore ask you to consider the following priorities. We are concerned about the unintended consequences of a blanket social media ban on access to information and participation opportunities. We have already seen this play out for young Australians impacted by the social media ban accessing less news sources and having less opportunities to share their views. We are concerned about how this will impact a new generation of young voters in the UK.
First and foremost, we want the UK Government to meaningfully involve young people from across the UK in the development and implementation of this policy. Meaningful participation for us means that young people are given the space to share their views with the right decision-makers, and for their views to be taken seriously. 40,000 parents and carers were heard in the UK Government consultation, but only 5,000 young people. It is now important to level the playing field and ensure that young people are given the opportunity to make sure that whatever happens next is not more harmful for young people.
Secondly, we want the UK Government to undertake a children’s rights impact assessment on this policy before the regulations are laid in the UK Parliament. The incorporation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into Scots law was really important for us, and those rights are still valid for young
people in Scotland and across the wider UK even if this decision is being made in Westminster. 81% of young people in our research agreed that a social media ban would push more young people into more risky ways of accessing social media.
Thirdly, we don’t want the social media ban to be a disinvestment in young people’s futures. We want you to use the full budget available to realise children’s rights, including digital literacy programmes for all young people (including under 16s), funding into youth work, and political literacy and participation. This should apply to young people across the UK, and the UK Government should work with devolved governments to support this.
We would be happy to facilitate an opportunity for you to speak directly to young people in Scotland to co-design the development and implementation of safer online spaces.
Yours sincerely,
Ellie Craig MSYP
Member of the Scottish Youth Parliament for Glasgow Cathcart and Chair of SYP on behalf of:
Nicola Killean, Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland
Juliet Harris, Director, Together (Scotland)
Judith Turbyne, CEO, Children in Scotland
Meg Thomas, Deputy CEO, Forces Children Scotland
Matthew, age 16
Emma, age 18
Michaela, age 20
Reave, age 16
Ava, age 17
Jorja, age 12
Grace, age 17
Isla, age 17
Greg, age 15
Faiza, age 16
Lewis, age 17
Beenie-Ann, age 16
Freyja, age 14
Lyla, age 13
Cayden, age 21
Karis, age 14
Katherine, age 14
Alfie, age 17
Arwyn, age 14
Chloe, age 12
Jeremiah, age 14
Ella, age 18
Lee, age 18
Adam, age 15
Jamie, age 17
Anna, age 25
Finley, age 13
Lowra, age 13
Gareth, age 17
Anthony, age 16
Rajsee, age 18
Murron, age 16
Anya, age 15
Billy, age 20
Ava, age 13
Evelyn, age 17
Rhea-Leigh, age 14
Jessica, age 21
Fraser, age 14
Ava Sophia, age 13
Vaila, age 13
Amy, age 14
Isaac, age 22
Jake, age 14
Morgan, age 13
Taylor, age 14
Priya, age 15
James, age 14
Debbie, age 12
Kaitlin, age 13
Ben, age 17
Erin, age 16
Ruby, age 15
Cora, age 14
Campbell, age 18
Ethan, age 15
Jay, age 18
Jack, age 13
Scarlett, age 13
Sophie, age 14
Annaleese, age 14
Rhyan, age 18
Alexander, age 18
Sophie, age 15
Luke, age 15
Niamh, age 14
Darci, age 14
Fergus, age 15
Saoirse, age 14
Adam, age 16
Megan, age 19
Luca, age 15
Anna, age 14
Lucie, age 15
Lucy, age 13
Lanah, age 13
Bill, age 13
Harry, age 13
Imogen, age 13
Keilan, age 15
Harris, age 12
Adam, age 13
Kaiden, age 15
Abbie, age 18
Chloe, age 17
Shona, age 18
Victoria, age 22
Martha, age 19
Nicholas, age 19
Adam, age 16
Logan, age 15
Kawthar, age 22
Duncan, age 17
Toni, age 17
Evelyn, age 16
Annabel, age 18
Chloe, age 17
Ruaridh, age 15
Fin, age 17
Karter, age 16
Priyangaa, age 17
Asa, age 19
Emma, age 17
Ayla, age 16
Aiden, age 13
Cian, age 14
Katie, age 14
Kelsey, age 17
Olivia, age 12
Isabella-Rose, age 16
Eshma, age 14
Mahnoor, age 14
Neve, age 17
Holly, age 16
Yoana, age 16
Mia, age 14
Emma, age 15
Molly, age 16
Kayla, age 14
Molly, age 24
Ben, age 14
Katherine, age 14
Emma, age 22
Kieran, age 25
Savannah, age 14
Jake, age 16
Aryaveer, age 16
Lieke, age 18
Connor, age 19
Naomi, age 16
Faith, age 18
Noa, age 16
Catriona, age 18
Jayden, age 16
Eva, age 15
Amelia, age 16
Ellis, age 17
Rhys, age 19
David, age 18
Bisma, age 15
Heidi, age 17
Finn, age 14
Carla, age 17
Elena, age 17
Emma, age 17
Conal, age 19
Finlay, age 18
Harry, age 17
Casey, age 15
Heather, age 13
Reece, age 15
