Some parents – and teenagers – might think Keir Starmer’s ban on kids accessing social media is a step too far. But public polling on the subject is clear – a majority of parents view the internet as a dangerous place for under-16s and want the UK Government to legislate to make it safer.
The main reason Starmer has been forced to act is quite clear. American tech giants have spent years denying there is any problem. These companies have profited from peddling sex and violence to kids, and it’s about time someone took them to task.
The internet is a valuable learning resource but it’s also a cesspit full of degrading material shared by dangerous individuals. Children are suffering due to the fact free and unfettered access to social media is harmful.
The UK is not alone in going down this path. Australia has already implemented a ban on social media for those under-16 and Canada and France will soon follow.
The Record, through its long-running Our Kids… Our Future campaign, has repeatedly called for action against the sharing of violent videos involving kids.
We wanted the tech giants to step in to make the internet safer for young people.
But they have done precious little – so the government has had to step in.
Of course, we can’t expect the government to regulate the internet entirely. Ultimately, parental responsibility is key.
But it is useful for mums and dads to have a safety net – and that is what this ban provides.
The Tartan Army are a generous bunch… we’ve always known that.
But Scotland fan John MacLean has gone the extra mile when it comes to humanity.
In the hours leading up to the Haiti game, he heard about a young fan who had travelled all the way to Boston only to find out he had shelled out for a fake ticket.
John, who had been trying to sell a spare £900 ticket, reached out to the heartbroken young fan – and gave him the extra ticket for free.
John didn’t know the young fan. He just didn’t want him to miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
In these dark times, it is stories such as these that show the unifying power of football when it is played – and supported – in the right way.
Scotland’s passionate fans are certainly winning plenty of admirers for their conduct in Boston.
In fact, the Tartan Army are doing more for Scotland’s global reputation than an entire room full of politicians could ever hope to achieve.
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