The BBC reports (January 2018) on a study from England’s children’s commissioner:
“Schools should play a bigger role in preparing children for social media’s emotional demands as they move from primary to secondary school, England’s children’s commissioner says.
“They find themselves chasing likes, chasing validation, being very anxious about their appearance online and offline and feeling that they can’t disconnect – because that will be seen as socially damaging.” Anne Longfield
Anne Longfield said she was worried many pupils at that stage became anxious about their identity and craved likes and comments for validation.
Her study said children aged eight to 12 found it hard to manage the impact.
The government said it was working with schools on online safety education.
The report into the effects of social media on eight to 12-year-olds claimed many children were over-dependent on ‘likes’ and comments for social validation.
It said children approach a ‘cliff-edge’ as they move from primary to secondary school, when social media becomes more important in their lives …”
Read more (and watch a couple of short video clips) here.
