Medical Experts Warn Technology Is Damaging Children’s and Young People’s Health
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Doctors and medical experts have warned of the growing evidence of “health harms” from tech and devices on children and young people in the UK.
The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC) said frontline clinicians have given personal testimony about “horrific cases they have treated in primary, secondary and community settings throughout the NHS and across most medical specialities”.
The body, which represents 23 medical royal colleges and faculties, plans to gather evidence to establish the issues healthcare professionals and specialists are seeing repeatedly that may be attributed to tech and devices.
It intends to highlight the sometimes-hidden risks of unrestricted content and screen time to children and young people and provide guidance to the medical profession about how to identify and manage the harm being done.
The academy said it already had “evidence of the impact on children and young people’s physical and mental health both from excessive screen time as well as exposure to harmful online content”.
It says the work is due to be completed within three months.
The letter was sent to Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Science and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall.
Chief executive of the National Institute for Health Research, Lucy Chappell, and the UK government’s chief medical adviser, Sir Chris Whitty, were also sent a copy.
Dr Jeanette Dickson, chair of the academy, told The Sunday Times: “Without doubt, we are seeing the beginning of a public health emergency with our own eyes. Everywhere we look, we see children and adults glued to their screens.
“I really worry for children, some of whom are self-evidently imprisoned in a digital bubble.”
It comes as the government prepares to announce plans to restrict the use of social media for under-16s. A consultation is expected to be launched this week.
Options range from a full ban to limited interventions, including time restrictions and tighter algorithm controls.
In December, Australia introduced a ban on under-16s having social media accounts. Many other countries around the world, including France, Denmark, Norway and Malaysia, are now considering similar bans.
