Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock has issued an urgent warning on the potential dangers of social media on children’s mental health, stating that the threat of social media on mental health is similar to that of sugar on physical health.
He confirmed that the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Professor Dame Sally Davies, is reviewing the impact that excessive social media can have on children’s mental health.
The CMO will draw up guidance to help parents ensure children don’t use social media in a way that harms their mental health.
The guidance will include what age a child should be allowed to sign up to a social media account, and how often they should have access.