‘Our kids are suffering’: calls for ban on social media to protect under-16s

Debate gains traction as evidence grows on negative impact of social media use on mental health of young people

Many parents of digitally obsessed teens must have wished they could bin their smartphones. As evidence mounts about the risks of social media, there is a growing public clamour to protect children better - with some now even calling for a ban.

The debate in the UK took on a fresh resonance in recent days after Esther Ghey, the mother of the murdered teenager Brianna, added her voice to those highlighting the dangers of smartphones.