Tackle harmful social media features rather than impose total ban to protect the young: Expert panel
A Singaporean expert panel has recommended against a blanket age-based ban on social media for young people. Instead, they suggest regulating specific harmful features to better protect mental health.
Why it matters
Provides a policy framework for balancing digital safety with user autonomy in the context of youth mental health.
The eight-member expert panel was formed in September to examine the impact of social media use on young people’s mental health.
Listen SINGAPORE – An expert panel formed by the Ministry of Health (MOH) is discouraging an age-based blanket ban on social media, citing the risk of it being counterproductive when young people circumvent the restriction, and the lack of distinction between harmful and beneficial uses.
Instead, the panel recommended tackling specific features that could expose users to safety risks, prolong usage or worsen mental health, as such a calibrated approach would be more durable and proportionate.
It is one of the key recommendations the panel submitted to the Government, among other findings to support healthier and safer social media use among young people.
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