Sandbach MP has backed calls for social media to be restricted to over 16s.

A letter requesting 'urgent action' to raise the minimum age for access to social media platforms has been sent to the Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

More than 60 MPs have signed the letter, including the MP for Sandbach, Sarah Russell.

Sarah Russell said: "I've added my name alongside other MPs to a letter to the Prime Minister calling for the minimum age for social media access to be raised to 16.

"Our children's wellbeing must come first and tech companies must take responsibility for protecting young people online. It's time for the government to act.

"Thank you to the many constituents who have contacted me about this. I know how strongly people feel and this issue deserves serious attention."

The letter explains that the average 12-year-old now spends 29 hours a week on a smartphone, with much of that time devoted to social media platforms.

This has resulted in more than 500 children in England being referred for anxiety every single day.

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For teenage boys, going from zero to five hours of daily social media use is associated with a doubling of depression rates, the letter states.

Meanwhile, for girls, rates triple.

The letter states that more than 500 children in England are referred for anxiety every single day because of social media (Credit: Canva)

The letter adds: "Across our constituencies, we hear the same message: children are anxious, unhappy, and unable to focus on learning. They are not building the social skills needed to thrive, nor having the experiences that will prepare them for adulthood.

"Around the world, Governments are recognising the severity of this crisis and taking action. Australia has banned tech companies from providing social media accounts to under 16s. Denmark, France, Norway, New Zealand and Greece are expected to follow suit. Britain risks being left behind.

"We believe the onus must be placed on technology platforms, not parents, to prevent underage access. We would support a model similar to Australia's that requires companies to take meaningful steps to enforce age limits.

"Public support for this approach is strong. Many of our constituents have recently got in touch sharing their concerns about the impact of social media on children and asking us to support a social media minimum age of 16. Most strikingly, young people themselves recognise the harm: 78% of Gen Z say they would try to delay their child using social media as long as possible.

"We are all strong supporters of technology, and of this Labour Government's ambition to use tech to improve lives. But successive Governments have done far too little to protect young people from the consequences of unregulated, addictive social media platforms.

"We urge the Government to show leadership on this issue by introducing a minimum age for social media access of 16 years old."

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