Britain should raise the digital age of consent | Social media

Youngsters within the UK ought to be provided the identical safety from voracious social media corporations that the Danish authorities has dedicated to offering (Denmark plans social media ban for under-15s as PM warns telephones ‘stealing childhood’, 7 October) in order that we will put a cease to the immense harm they’re wreaking.The disaster they’ve created is why we launched our marketing campaign calling for precisely that, and we aren’t alone in wanting motion – 70% of the UK public consider that social media corporations are robbing youngsters and younger folks of their childhoods, and wish to see the digital age of consent raised from 13 to 16.From disrupted sleep and shorter consideration spans to lowered social abilities and publicity to radicalised and excessive views, youngsters and younger persons are being exploited by large tech executives who’re making billions consequently. Dad and mom and academics see the harm being performed every day. College students are arriving in school exhausted, anxious and already overwhelmed by what they’ve seen on social media. Their means to focus, join and be ok with themselves is being eroded earlier than they’ve even had an opportunity to develop.The place Denmark goes, the UK should comply with. We’re calling on our authorities to lift the age of entry to social media to 16, create house on the varsity curriculum to show digital literacy, and introduce a windfall tax on social media corporations to pay for psychological well being providers that go some approach to undoing the harm they’ve inflicted on youngsters and younger folks on this nation.Daniel KebedeGeneral secretary, Nationwide Schooling Union Have an opinion on something you’ve learn within the Guardian at this time? Please e-mail us your letter and it is going to be thought of for publication in our letters part.