A local teacher has outlined the concerns she has about social media usage among young people.
This comes as the Government announced a research trial, in which hundreds of teenagers will have their used of online platforms curtailed.
Katie Blakey, a teacher and parent of teenagers, said: “Since using social media me and my partner have seen a rapid decline in [our children’s] mental health, attendance at school, sleep patterns, friendship issues, you name it.
“They weren’t allowed TikTok or Snapchat or Instagram or anything like that until they entered high school, and like I said since getting it, there’s been a decline in everything.”
Ms Blakey also endorsed the research project that the government is launching.
The project will see 300 teens have their social media usage monitored over a period of six weeks.
They will be split into four groups: the first will have their social media apps disabled.
There will be two groups whose social media activity will be restricted to an hour per day, with no usage between 21:00-07:00.
The final group will have unlimited access to the sites.
The research comes partly in response to the ban on social media for under-16s that was imposed by the Australian government last December. UK ministers have come under pressure to pass a ban similar to that seen in Australia.
Frances Yeoman, Associate Professor of Journalism and Media Literacy at LJMU, said: “Young people all around the world have different online habits and different relationships with these platforms.
“I think the Australia ban is really new and, perhaps predictably, the response we’re getting on how that’s working out has been quite polarising.”
@merseynewslive What does the new government research project on teenager’s social media use mean? fyp socialmedia uk
