How to keep children safe online as social media compared to 'cancer risk of smoking'

Yahoo

06-02-2025

Britain's counterterrorism chief has compared the harm caused by social media to the "cancer" of smoking and has raised the idea of a potential ban on its use by children under 16.
Giving evidence to The Times Crime and Justice Commission Matt Jukes said his team had discussed the issue with colleagues in Australia, which implemented world-first legislation last year, unveiling plans to ban social media use by U16s.
Mr Jukes said the UK could not afford to delay taking serious action on the negative impacts of social media. "If I give you a parallel with the harm caused by smoking, by 1950, it was clear that smoking was causing lung cancer and killing people," he said. "But it took decades for governments to decide to regulate, not even the supply of tobacco more closely, but even just the advertising of tobacco to young people in places where young people could see it."
Mr Jukes added the 'cancer' of dangerous online content 'which is driving violence is in our communities and in the lives of young people now'.
The call for greater discussion around social media use in children comes after Meta's decision to drop its fact-checkers caused further anxiety for parents. In a series of changes, Mark Zuckerberg announced earlier this year that Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, will stop paying organisations to fact-check posts. Instead the social media giant will start to use a "community notes" system similar to that on Elon Musk-owned X (formerly Twitter).
While not all social media posts were vetted previously, the move means it's more important than ever to take an active role in helping children navigate what they see online.
A great first step parents can take is having regular, age-appropriate conversations with their children about their online lives. These conversations can be difficult, but the NSPCC has provided some tips.
Stay calm, balanced and non-judgemental – "Don't tackle the conversation when you're feeling highly emotional," Rani Govender, regulatory policy manager at the NSPCC, advises.
Talk to someone else about it. "Your child's school can be a great source of information, particularly the class teacher and the Designated Safeguarding Lead," Govender adds.
Keep listening, try not to interrupt even if there is a period of silence. "They may be thinking how they word something," Govender says.
Children often talk of being punished. "For example, if they open up to you and say that they have seen explicit content by accident, they are scared of their devices being removed from them," Govender explains. "This is seen as a punishment and consequence for something that was out of their control. This is a judgement call that needs to be carefully handled."
Keeping an open dialogue about their online experiences is important. "Instead of just monitoring their activity, ask them what they're interested in or what's trending among their friends," suggests Dr Huriye Atilgan, neuroscientist and expert on internet safety.
"This not only helps you stay informed but also makes it easier for them to approach you if something feels off."
Building up trust between a parent and child is crucial to a safe online life. "Parents should show an interest in what their children does online and have open conversations about the potential risks online," Govender advises. "It is also important that the growing independence children have as they get older is respected."
Talk about red flags like exaggerated headlines or sources that aren't familiar. "Using tools like Full-fact, Snopes or Google's Fact Check Explorer together can turn this into a learning moment rather than a lecture," advises Dr Atilgan. "If your child sees something questionable, encourage them to show you so you can figure it out together."
Often online platforms will show us content based on what we like, but Govender suggests trying to encourage children to look at a range of different resources to learn and access new information.
If your child sees something online that worries or upsets them encourage them to not re-share. Govender advises reminding them they can speak to you, another trusted adult, or a Childline Counsellor if they have questions about something they've seen.
These allow you to block and filter upsetting or inappropriate content. "They work across your WiFi, phone network, individual apps and devices," advises Govender. "Ensure you have this conversation with your child so it's seen as a joint decision what controls are put in place, rather than a one-sided decision."
Dr Atilgan describes the importance of helping children find a balance between online and offline activities. "Whether it's hobbies, sports, or simply spending time as a family, these moments reduce screen time and help kids stay grounded," she says.
For further tips and advice, visit the NSPCC's Online Safety Hub. Parents can also visit the fake news, hoaxes and misinformation section of the website for further information and find information on how to set up parental controls.
You can also access the TRUST toolkit, in partnership with Vodafone, which aims to keep children safe online by giving parents helpful advice when buying their child their first phone.
Non-profit organisation Internet Matters has a wealth of resources and expert guidance to help parents navigate the ever-changing world of child internet safety.
Childnet has a wide range of helpful information and guidance for parents on a range of key online safety topics.
Read more about parenting and social media:
1 in 4 parents unaware if children are accessing anonymous chat rooms (Yahoo Life UK, 5-min read)
How to speak to girls about sexual assault, according to experts (Yahoo Life UK, 5-min read)
What to do if you think your child is being radicalised (Yahoo Life UK, 5-min read)