Families across Scotland are being asked to share their experiences of smartphones, social media and the internet as ministers consider new ways of protecting children and young people from online harms.
Two anonymous surveys have been launched to understand how young people use the online world, what concerns families have and what practical support could help them navigate it more safely.
The first survey will explore how children and young people use screens, apps and social media, alongside the possible effects on their wellbeing and how confident they feel about staying safe online.
A second survey is aimed at parents and carers, asking about their own screen use and how confident they feel supporting their children in an increasingly digital world.
Parents will also be asked what information and resources would make that job easier.
The Scottish Government is carrying out the work as part of a wider examination of the impact digital media can have on children and young people.
Although legislation governing online safety is reserved to the UK Government, Scottish ministers are looking at measures that could be taken using devolved powers.
More than 140 research papers published since the Covid pandemic are also being reviewed to examine the relationship between digital media use and the wellbeing of children and young people.
Evidence gathered through that research and the two surveys will then be used to develop new policy aimed at reducing online harms.
Children and Young People Minister Siobhian Brown said:
“Going online and using social media gives young people access to huge amounts of information, which can have positive benefits for their learning and connection to friends, family and the world.
“However, it can also have a harmful impact on their physical and mental health and wellbeing.
“We also know parents and carers are worried about how long young people spend online, what content they may be viewing and the addictive nature of some apps.
“We will continue to push the UK Government to go further, for example we want to see a Social Media Levy applied to online platforms which can then be reinvested back into our young people.
“However, we are also focused on what we can do within our powers in Scotland to ensure children and young people are safe and supported in their online lives, as part of a public health approach to online safety.
“To that end, we are seeking the views of as many people as possible, particularly around what support and information they would find most helpful.
“The surveys are completely anonymous and will help us to inform any public health campaign on this important issue.
“This work comes on top of our action to create phone-free learning environments to ensure pupils can learn free from the disruption associated with mobile phones.”
The Scottish Government says the aim is not simply to examine how much time young people spend looking at screens, but to understand what they are doing online and what families need to manage the risks.
That includes concerns about harmful content and the amount of time spent online, as well as the potentially addictive nature of some apps.
At the same time, ministers acknowledge that smartphones and social media are now an important part of how young people learn, communicate and maintain friendships.
The challenge is finding the balance between those benefits and the risks that come with them.
Scotland’s families are now being asked to help decide where that balance should lie.
