As bad as cigarettes: Mumsnet’s new campaign supports social media ban for under-16s
The forum launched a campaign that hints at parallels between the harms of social media and those of cigarettes.
Mumsnet, a popular online forum for parents that netizens have used for more than 25 years, has been advocating limiting young people's social media use.
In its latest move, the forum launched a campaign in the UK supporting a social media ban for users under 16 years old.
It includes billboards, which might look familiar, as they resemble the design seen on cigarette packets that warn of the dangers of smoking.
“Addictive social media use in teens is linked to a higher risk of suicidal behaviour,” states the message on what looks like a smartphone box.
The idea behind these ads, found on social media and billboards, is to encourage a ban on social media for kids under 16.
The ads reveal what issues social media use may bring to young people, stating that “three hours or more social media a day makes teens more likely to self-harm,” reports The Guardian.
It also sheds light on problems, such as anxiety, eating disorders, and even suicidal behaviour, that can be brought out by social media.
At the beginning of February, Mumsnet released a post encouraging parents to “write to their MP to show their support for a UK social media ban for under-16s.”
The article includes explanations on how to find your MP’s email address, an email text template, as well as tips on what else to include in the email.
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The measures taken by the forum are part of its Rage Against the Screen campaign, focusing on stronger social media regulations for young people.
According to Justine Roberts, the CEO of Mumsnet, this is no longer just a parenting issue, but a wider problem, since kids are exposed to an addictive product.
With this campaign, the UK-based forum wants to emphasize the dangers of phone addiction to young people and draw politicians' attention to take more drastic measures to help kids and their parents.
It has been previously reported that the United Kingdom’s House of Lords has already been in favor of banning social media for kids under 16.
The social media ban has also been a major topic worldwide, with Australia becoming the first country to officially ban kids under 16 from accessing social media.
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Last year, the European Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) already agreed that kids under 16 years old should be protected from physical and mental health risks by banning the use of social media.
The social media ban wave also rolled across most European countries, including France, Spain, Italy, Greece, and others.
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