The United Kingdom Government is submitting to public consultation the possibility of prohibiting the access of minors under 16 years of age to social networks, a measure that Australia launched at the beginning of this year and that countries such as France, Denmark, Portugal and Spain are also promoting. Seeking support for the initiative, Mumsnet, an online platform for mothers and fathers, has launched a campaign that transfers warnings about the dangers of tobacco to mobile phones.
Together with the creative agency adam&eveTBWA, it has created a series of graphics with messages similar to those that appear on cigarette packages, but instead of including the logos and designs of the tobacco brands, they show smartphones. Texts such as “Teenagers’ addiction to the phone doubles the risk of anxiety” or “More than three hours a day on social networks increases the likelihood of self-harm,” are accompanied by images such as extremely bitten nails, a blister of pills or a photo of a young woman in the hospital.
The action is part of the “Rage Against the Screen” campaign, with which Mumsnet seeks to inform mothers and fathers about the dangers of mobile phones and social networks and empower them to take action to protect the health of their sons and daughters. That is why the graphics include calls to contact your representatives in parliament and support the ban.
According to data from the platform, 68% of Mumsnet users support a total ban on access to social networks for minors under 16 years of age. It also points out that 64% of parents are concerned about the impact of social media on their children’s mental health; a figure that stands at 62% when talking about excess time on screens.
“Our children are essentially guinea pigs in a gigantic experiment, and as time goes on, more and more evidence suggests that the results are not positive.“; commented Justine Roberts, Founder and CEO of Mumsnet, in a statement. “It’s easy to feel powerless in the face of Big Tech’s addictive algorithms, and we wish the government would do more to protect children. But in the meantime, we want to equip parents with the necessary knowledge to help their children navigate today’s technology safely.”.
The campaign has been activated on social networks, where Mumsnet invites people to share the publication, and also on outdoor advertising in London. The provocative images, in combination with crude statistics, seek to capture the attention of passers-by and raise awareness among the population of the serious consequences of telephone addiction.
