New research indicates that over 800,000 children in the UK aged three to five are already using social media platforms, raising concerns about the impact on their development. The analysis, conducted by the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), suggests a widespread and growing trend of very young children engaging with content designed for adults.
Scale of the Problem
The CSJ’s findings, based on recent population data and previous Ofcom research, reveal that nearly 40% of parents report their preschool-aged children using at least one social media app or website. Given the UK’s estimated 2.2 million children in this age bracket, this translates to approximately 814,000 young users already exposed to these platforms.
This level of exposure is particularly worrying because these children have not yet developed the cognitive abilities to understand the manipulative tactics employed by social media algorithms. The platforms are designed to maximize engagement, often through addictive features that exploit psychological vulnerabilities – a strategy ill-suited for developing minds.
Calls for Action
Former Education Minister Lord Nash has described the situation as “deeply alarming,” calling for immediate action. He advocates for a comprehensive public health campaign to educate parents about the potential harms of early social media use, as well as legislative changes to raise the minimum age for platform access to 16.
“With hundreds of thousands of under-fives now on these platforms, children who haven’t yet learned to read, being fed content and algorithms designed to hook adults, should concern us all.” – Lord Nash
This push for stricter regulation mirrors steps being taken in Australia, where a new law taking effect on December 10th will require social media companies to actively prevent under-16s from creating accounts. The UK government, however, maintains that schools already have the authority to ban phones and supports headteachers in enforcing such policies.
Broader Concerns
The CSJ is also urging for bans on smartphones in schools to disrupt the “24-hour cycle of phone use.” This broader effort aligns with increasing demands from advocacy groups—including the mother of murdered teenager Brianna Ghey—for stronger measures to curb phone usage among young people.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has voiced similar concerns, warning against leaving young people exposed to the “Wild West of the online world” and citing the potential for “mind-numbing” effects from excessive social media consumption on neurodevelopment.
The increasing prevalence of social media use among preschool children represents a growing public health issue. The long-term effects on cognitive development, mental well-being, and social skills remain largely unknown, but experts agree that early exposure to these platforms warrants serious attention and proactive intervention.
