A major step forward in protecting children online.
Today, the campaign I have been supporting on smartphones in schools and social media restrictions for young people has delivered a significant breakthrough, with the Government agreeing to ban smartphones in schools and introduce social media restrictions for under-16s. I, alongside my Conservative colleagues have been fighting to get children off social media for over a year. But sadly, Labour have dragged their heels at every opportunity and voted against our plans to get the under 16s off social media three times in the House of Commons.
For too long, concerns about the impact of smartphones and social media on children's wellbeing, learning and safety have been dismissed. Yet parents, teachers, health professionals and campaigners have continued to make the case for change.
Over the past year, I have visited local schools, held constituent surgeries, attended events in Parliament and received high volumes of letters from parents sharing their fears and concerns about the detrimental harm of social media to young children. This week we have helped secure action.
Of course, no policy is perfect and there remains work to be done. There will undoubtedly be loopholes, practical challenges and unintended consequences that will need to be addressed. The online world changes rapidly, and legislation must keep pace.
I will continue to monitor the details closely and fight for effective measures that protect young people across Chingford and Woodford Green from online dangers.
