MPs are asking those who work in education to submit evidence to a new inquiry examining the impact of screen time on children’s learning.
The Commons Education Select Committee will look at the risks and benefits of the internet, smartphones and apps in relation to children, from the early years until adulthood. The inquiry will examine how they affect concentration and behaviour.
It will also look at schools’ practices regarding social media and online resources, including how they manage children’s use of them, and what guidance they give to families.
Ofcom found in 2020 that 31 per cent of children aged 12-15 reported seeing worrying content online. And 5 per cent of them had seen material promoting radicalisation or terrorism.
Research by the children’s commissioner shows that, on average, children first see pornography at age 13, and a previous hearing by the MPs’ committee heard how criminal gangs were using social media to groom children.
Two years ago, Ofcom found that children spent an average of two hours and 45 minutes online a day by the age of 8 - and this rose to more than four hours as they hit 11 or 12.
Questions over pupils’ screen time
Committee chair Robin Walker said: “Over the last decade, teenagers’ access to the internet has become almost ubiquitous, and it is becoming ever more prevalent among young children. Whilst learning how to safely navigate the online world is an important skill, the committee has already heard some deeply concerning evidence about the risks to children of too much screen time or of unsupervised access to online platforms.”
He said that, while the use of technology has helped children to access information, including during Covid lockdowns, there are concerns about other content available on the internet, the risks posed by online grooming and the effects of too much screen time.
Mr Walker said: “From this inquiry we hope to form positive recommendations for both government and the education sector on how to harness the benefits that online resources can offer for children’s education and development. It will also explore the potential ways that screen time can impact children’s mental health and wellbeing, and ways that this can be mitigated against through education in school and safeguarding practices.”
The committee welcomes written evidence submissions from academics, experts and those who work in education, children’s health and consumer technology.
Submissions should should be made via the committee’s website by 16 October 2023.
