Should social media be banned for children under 13 years old

 Should social media be banned for children under 13 years old

Many people argue that social media is a dangerous tool for children to have access to, while others believe that it is important for our young people to communicate. Although both points are strong enough to argue the debate, neither point outweighs the other but a solution is desperately needed for our young people today as this is a debate which has, and I am sure will continue to, rage on. 

It is a partinet point that by banning social media could cause our children and young people: severe bouts of unhappiness; losing their friends and ultimately leading to possible depression.  Nobody would want this surely? However, it could be argued that the effect of cyber- bullying - which is increasing - causes  more damage to our young, vulnerable children. This leads to similar issues. Even though both points raised might have a significant impact on children’s well being, it is difficult to determine which would have the most impact.

No one can deny that inappropriate material can be accessed by children when they are online, even by accident. This could lead to them replicating the behavior they have seen; thinking that it is acceptable.  Whereas people could argue that many children ( at school and home ) successfully use social media to enhance their skills. Should it be the case that parents have to judge the maturity of their children when making these important decisions and monitor what their children view more carefully?

In summary, the use of social media by young people, if used correctly, could have a positive impact on their social and educational skills. Obviously, this depends on the level of maturity and teaching and monitoring the parents do. These are just some key points and there are many more but I hope this has helped you to establish your view on the topic.