News leaked from British government officials indicates the monarchy is looking at making some big changes to the laws regarding mobile devices in the UK. Specifically, a prominent Tory MP has said that youngsters are being significantly damaged by social media and smartphones. Meanwhile, officials have refused to deny these rumors, but they have said they want the UK to be known as a safe country for kids.
Conservative Party Member of Parliament Miriam Cates is known as a no-nonsense politician, and she thinks while people may not like the ban, they will understand it. After all, they have no issue with instituting age limits on having sexual intercourse, driving a car, or consuming alcohol. These are things that come with maturity, age, and experience. Similarly, social media can follow the same.
Cates said via Twitter, “Libertarians will naturally oppose a ban on smartphones for kids. But it should be music to the ears of conservatives… regulation is necessary to protect children… There is now so much evidence that smartphones [and] social media are causing unacceptable harm to kids — loss of vital developmental experiences, increase in suicide, anxiety & sexual abuse — that it would be reckless not to act. As conservatives know, not all change is progress.”
This change, though, is progress. It means progressing on the topic of child safety and making sure things are being done right. Kids in the UK need this kind of safety net. They can go back to simpler dumb phones with basic texting and such. It didn’t hurt us, and it won’t hurt them; if anything, it should help.
