Finland to end "uncontrolled human experiment" with ban on youth social media

Summary

Lunch break at the Finnish International School of Tampere (FISTA) is a boisterous time.The yard is filled with children — ranging from grades 1 to 9, or ages 6 to 16 — running around, shouting, playing football, shooting basketball hoops, doing what kids do.And there's not a single screen in sight.FISTA has taken advantage of the law change, brought in last August, which allows schools to restrict or completely ban the use of mobile phones during school hours. At FISTA, this means no phones at all unless specifically used for learning in the classroom."We've seen that cutting down on the possibilities for students to use their phones, during the breaks for instance, has spurred a lot of creativity," FISTA vice principal Antti Koivisto notes."They're more active, doing more physical things like playing games outdoors or taking part in the organised break activities or just socialising with each other."With the smartphone restriction in schools widely considered to have been a success, Finland's government has now set its sights on social media platforms.Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (NCP) said earlier this month that he supports banning the use of social media by children under the age of 15."I am deeply concerned about the lack of physical activity among children and young people, and the fact that it is increasing," Orpo said at the time.And there is a growing groundswell of support for Finland introducing such a ban. Two-thirds of respondents to a survey published earlier this week said they back a ban on social media for under-15s. This is a near 10 percentage point jump compared to a similar survey carried out just last summer."Uncontrolled human experiment"The concerns over social media, and in particular the effects on children, have been well-documented — but Finnish researcher Silja Kosola's recent description of the phenomenon as an "uncontrolled human experiment" has grabbed people's attention once again.Kosola, an associate professor in adolescent medicine...