‘Wild West’ web giants facing levy to protect young
SOCIAL media giants are being allowed to operate in a lawless ‘Wild West’ in which vulnerable children have to fend for themselves, a major report warns today.
Teenagers are increasingly at risk of becoming addicted to sites such as Facebook and Instagram – a problem so harmful that experts want officials to investigate whether it could be classified as a disease.
MPs on the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Social Media and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing are calling for tough new regulations on social networking companies and want them in place within seven months.
Their report said social media firms should be taxed to fund measures that protect young people.
They proposed a 0.5 per cent levy on profits to fund research, educational programmes and clearer guidance for the public.
Companies must also accept they have a ‘duty of care’ to their users and must adhere to a legallybinding code of conduct to be enforced by Ofcom. Labour MP Chris Elmore, chairman of the group, said: ‘I truly think our report is the wake-up call needed to ensure, finally, that meaningful action is taken to lessen the negative impact social media is having on young people’s mental health. For far too long social media companies have been allowed to operate in an online Wild West.
‘And it is in this lawless landscape that our children currently work and play online. This cannot continue. As the report makes clear, now is the time for the Government to take action.’
The report said the average 14- year- old is now using social media for three to four hours a day.
At this level of use, 27 per cent of youngsters have symptoms of mental health problems, compared to 12 per cent of those who do not use social media. Teenagers are also under pressure to conform to ‘beauty standards’ that are ‘perpetuated and praised online’, pushing them to achieve ‘results’, including disordered eating and body shame, the MPs conclude.
The report found 46 per cent of girls say social media has a negative impact on their self-esteem.
The impact of social media on the young was thrust into the spotlight earlier this year by the death of 14-year-old Molly Russell.
She showed no signs of mental distress, but took her own life after viewing graphic images on Instagram that glamorised self-harm.
Since then, the Government has indicated it will publish a White Paper forcing social media firms to sign a code of conduct protecting young and vulnerable users.
‘Now is the time to take action’