– cyberbullying, exploitation among key concerns

THE increasing use of social media among children is contributing to growing mental health and developmental concerns, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Gail Teixeira has warned.
The minister made this known during a recent consultation on social media and its effects on children, during which she indicated that the government is concerned about a range of online risks affecting young people, including cyberbullying, harmful content and excessive screen time.
“Why should we take action in the first place? Of course, mental health concerns,” the minister said.
She added that cyberbullying and harassment, online exploitation and grooming, exposure to harmful content and “addictive platform design” are among the issues policymakers are now examining as part of efforts to strengthen protections for children online.
Teixeira noted that many parents have reported difficulties managing their children’s screen time, with some young people becoming increasingly detached from family interactions.
“A number of even my staff who have young teenagers are saying that since they’ve got their phones, it’s hard to get them off of it. They’re not coming out and looking at TV, they don’t want to go and have dinner, they just want to be on the phones all the time,” she said.
Against this backdrop, Minister Teixeira also cited findings from studies conducted by the World Health Organisation (WHO), which have tracked social media use among children and adolescents across dozens of countries.
“The younger females between the 11 and 13 have a higher usage of online social media than the boys,” Teixeira said.
As such, she added that the research found some children between the ages of 11 and 13 spend more than eight hours a day on phones and social media platforms.
She said the studies suggest younger girls are particularly vulnerable to body-shaming, self-image pressures and other challenges associated with adolescence.
Teixeira pointed to evidence showing how online predators use gaming and social media platforms to build trust with children before seeking personal information that can lead to exploitation.
To this end, according to the minister, these findings reinforce the need for policies that balance technological advancement with the protection of children’s well-being and mental health.