Minister ‘infuriated’ that accessing social media is ‘easy’ for under-13s

THE HEALTH Secretary has said he finds it “infuriating” that social media firms do not do more to block under-13s from using their sites.

Matt Hancock, who is a fatherof-three, said his own children are not allowed on sites like Facebook and Twitter because social media is making it harder for young people growing up.

Mr Hancock, who replaced Jeremy Hunt in the job last July, has asked the Chief Medical Officer, Professor Dame Sally Davies, to draw up new guidance for children on using social media.

He said: “This is one of the hardest times to be growing up. It’s a very hard time to be a parent, too, because of the amount of pressures that impact on young people.”

Asked whether his children were active on social media yet, Mr Hancock said: “No. My daughter is the eldest, she’s 12. Social media companies say their products shouldn’t be used by under13s and it infuriates me that they make it very easy for under-13s to use them and don’t do anything to stop them, leaving it all down to parents.”

He said he worried about the pressures on young women, saying girls were “too often in despair looking at pictures they see online and thinking, ‘Why don’t I look like that?’, even though many of these pictures are staged.”

Mr Hancock also spoke about post-natal depression and the need for greater support for new mothers.

He said: “Giving birth should be one of the most wonderful days of your life. But we all know that is often not the case.

“Depression immediately after birth is well documented, but it needs to be much more part of the standard support that the NHS gives to mothers.”