Tunbridge Wells activist warns of dangers on social media
The government consultation on social media ended last week
Last updated 2nd Jun 2026
The Mayor of London is expected to back a ban on social media for under-16s later today, Sir Sadiq Khan saying it is “the only way to stem the harms we know are happening right now”.
It's a move that has been supported by groups such as Health Professionals for Safer Screens, one of their members Arabella Skinner, based in Tunbridge Wells, told Greatest Hits Radio Kent:
"The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, which is the senior organisation of all the medical royal colleges, so the most senior doctors, put forward an incredibly powerful powerful consultation response.
"They described social media as the new smoking. And they had really harrowing examples.
"Figures showing that a third of doctors are seeing multiple examples in a week of issues that are coming in.
"This is something that's impacting the general population. And it varies from musculoskeletal issues to responses to TikTok challenges.
"But sleep issues that are coming through and the dietary and obesity issues that are coming through.
"Almost all doctors are experiencing this coming into their areas."
Talking about the under 16 age group specifically Skinner added:
"Those are mental ages between 11 and 16 are just so important.
"When you get to 16, 17, you have more confidence. You've found your real friends and you're able to go, 'that's not me.'
"But at 11, 12, 13, 14, that's hard. We're asking a lot from our children, and...We shouldn't be asking it in a particularly addictive environment."
Bereaved parents of children whose deaths were linked to social media, have called on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to bring in an Australia-style ban.
The Government’s consultation on children’s online experiences – which floated measures such as a ban for under-16s, app curfews and limits on addictive features – closed last week.
Sir Keir has promised to take “game-changer” action on the issue and vowed to move quickly, but he has not yet promised a ban on under-16s accessing social media.
His Labour Party colleague Sir Sadiq has previously said the impact of Australia’s ban should be monitored, but is now publicly backing such a measure.
London’s mayor, giving a speech in the capital on Tuesday to an audience of engineers, founders and investors, is expected to say tech firms must prove their services are safe for children or face a ban on being available to under-16s.
But he is also expected to add that a ban alone will not solve all the issues, warning: “Rather than just restricting access to social media, we must reimagine it.”
The mayor will insist the “era of impunity is over” and that tech firms must “must face the consequences” if they cannot protect people on their platforms.