From the moment they are born, parents worry endlessly about their children.
We wrap them up against the cold, teach them how to cross the road safely, encourage them to eat vegetables, and warn them about the dangers of strangers.
We carefully check the backgrounds of adults who look after them, doing everything possible to protect them.
Yet every day, we casually hand them smartphones—devices that open the door to very real dangers.
The problem is serious, it’s growing, and parents across Scotland are deeply worried.
We can’t ignore what’s happening any longer. Primary school children are regularly exposed to graphic pornography online. It’s freely accessible and impossible for kids to avoid.
It shapes the way young people view relationships, intimacy and consent. Increasingly, boys and girls grow up believing aggressive or violent behaviour towards women is normal.
But the dangers don’t stop at porn. Smartphones and social media expose children to extreme violence, hateful content, and harmful messages every day.
On their phones, kids easily access videos glorifying brutality, racism, and misogyny. Social media can quickly radicalise teenagers, introducing them to twisted and dangerous ideas at an age when they’re vulnerable and desperately looking for acceptance.
The recent Netflix drama, Adolescence, vividly showed just how easily teenagers can be manipulated online.
It revealed exactly how young people, desperate to fit in, become easy targets for harmful influences and persistent bullying. It’s disturbing viewing because it’s firmly rooted in reality. Often parents don’t realise what their kids are seeing or experiencing until it’s too late.
As parents, we’ve all seen the signs. Anxiety, depression, sudden mood swings, isolation, and anger—these are becoming worryingly common among teenagers.
Tragically, some families have lost children because they couldn’t cope with the pressures created by social media. No parent should ever face that heartbreak.
Yet right now, too little is being done to protect our children. Tech giants making billions from social media won’t change unless governments force them to. Voluntary guidelines clearly don’t work. Governments in Edinburgh and London urgently need to step up.
Australia recently announced a bold step: social media companies will no longer be allowed to create accounts for children under 16. It’s a strong measure, acknowledging just how damaging unrestricted access to social media can be.
We should seriously consider it here in Scotland and across the UK. The evidence is clear—social media is hurting our children, and action is needed now.
Apps on smartphones are deliberately designed by tech companies to be addictive. They purposely use sophisticated techniques that exploit young people’s fears about missing out, peer approval, and self-esteem.
We wouldn’t casually give our children alcohol or drugs because we know they’re dangerous. Perhaps it’s now time we seriously considered laws restricting smartphone sales for under-16s—not to punish, but to protect.
We also need to make our schools safe again. Smartphones should be banned completely from schools. It should be a space for learning, friendships, and safety—not a place where children worry about likes, shares and bullying.
Tech companies must also take responsibility. Websites hosting explicit or violent material must introduce proper age verification and moderation. Those refusing to comply shouldn’t be accessible in the UK. Our children’s safety must always come before corporate profits.
Last week, I met with concerned groups of parents in my constituency. They’re desperately trying to organise and tackle these issues themselves, but they’re simply not getting enough support or guidance from government.
They are crying out for clear direction and practical help, yet their voices are still not being properly heard.
Scotland’s children deserve a safe childhood—one free from online violence, pornography, and hate.
Our governments have the power to make this happen. It’s time they stepped up and gave parents the support we so urgently need.
Joani Reid is the MP for East Kilbride and Strathaven
To sign up to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, clickhere