The upcoming social media ban for under-sixteens in Australia is rightly grabbing attention. This is an audacious move in the times we live in, but a repeat here would only increase further education’s role in educating about its dangers and appropriate use.
A ban on popular platforms like Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok will not please many teenagers. On the flip-side, it could prevent more tragic stories of their devastating consequences of on-line bullying and harmful content.
You don’t have to live in Australia to know that parents, teachers and health workers worry that excessive amounts of time on social media can damage individual’s mental health and wellbeing.
The government hasn’t yet acted, but just a fortnight ago, technology secretary Peter Kyle told the BBC that a similar ban was “on the table”.
In fairness, the new government didn’t have to wait long before running into trouble with the platforms, facing appalling scenes as a result of online disinformation after the shocking attack on children on Southport.
But that disinformation didn’t just affect young people, and nor is disinformation the only problem.
While teaching learners functional skills maths last year, it was common to hear tales of students spending between six and eight hours a day on phones. Granted, not all that time was spent on social media. However, it is indicative of how attached some young people are to their devices.
I’m not a medical or mental health professional, so I won’t venture into discussing what constitutes social media addiction. What I’m certain of is that six to eight hours a day on a phone is unhealthy and cannot be ignored.
And national ban or no, it’s also clear that the de facto ban on phones in schools is sacrificing an opportunity to educate about this in favour of more time on teaching the core curriculum.
Above all, we must not demonise
But it’s a curriculum that fails many of the learners who come to us, so they will now arrive with low self-esteem and without the tools to fend off the social media reinforcement of that low self-esteem.
Among the other problems they won’t be equipped to deal with are isolation, relationship breakdowns, fear of missing out, anxiety, depression, imposter syndrome and more.
Inability to concentrate may or may not be alleviated by more focused lessons in school. The jury is out on that one.
In truth, teenagers know the potential damage and yet continue to scroll – much like they continued to smoke in the 70s. This is not harmless fun or an easy-to-kick habit. We can all see that action is required.
Working in a college in the East Midlands last year, the most popular pastime at break times was a given. Little surprise that reading a book is rapidly going out of style.
There is a balance to be struck, of course. These platforms do help people stay connected and make new friends, to apply for jobs and develop their knowledge and skills.
One way or another, striking that balance is a responsibility that is likely to increasingly fall on our sector.
It seems clear to me that we simply must educate students about how they use their time on phones. This starts by considering its effects and its ethics (Asset or time thief? Democratising or demagogue-enhancing?).
Above all, we must not demonise. We must give them the knowledge and the agency to develop not just effective use but effective methods to manage that use.
And we can only do that if we embed sessions on social media in our curriculum. Given the platforms’ record of undermining British Values and the paucity of that curriculum, perhaps that’s the best place for it.
It might require some outside help, or some staff development, but the investment would surely be worth it, both in terms of their mental health and their future life chances.
Who knows? Staff development and college-wide efforts to allocate times to check social media might be just as beneficial for our adults as for our young people.
The results could be staggering: reduced anxiety levels, less cyber bullying, greater self-esteem and more focus.
No ban is going to rescue our sector, so we might as well start now.
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