‘It’s time to recognise the very real and immediate dangers of social media for our children’

Parents are giving their kids access to smartphones and social media at younger and younger ages, despite all the evidence pointing to the serious harm it can pose

Social media can be harmful because it encourages constant comparison and limits in-person communication. Photo: Getty/picture posed

Dr David Coleman

Why are we hurtling blindly into a situation where we give children and teenagers the tools to do real harm to themselves? Under pressure from our kids, we are letting them have access to smartphones and social media at younger and younger ages, despite the research evidence pointing to the real dangers that social media in particular poses.