CHILDREN aged just two are accessing social media, research suggests.
The findings have raised fears that more young people are becoming addicted.
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More than 60 per cent of experts who have dealt with vulnerable children in the past six months aired concerns about under-fives using social networks.
They are worried about how they may impact on kids’ communication skills — as well as exposure to inappropriate content.
A report by children’s charity Barnardo’s gathered insight from 80 of its staff working in more than 30 kids’ services.
It says experiences that could impact on young people’s mental health and wellbeing peak when they are aged 11 to 15.
Half of the staff said kids aged between five and ten who they had dealt with had been exposed to unsuitable or harmful content.
This rose to 78 per cent of 11 to 15-year-olds. The report comes as a Government white paper on online harm proposes strict new rules.
Firms will have to take responsibility for their users and their safety, as well as the content that appears on their services.
Javed Khan, chief executive of Barnardo’s. said: “It’s vital the next Prime Minister keeps up the momentum and focuses specifically on protecting the most vulnerable.”
