‘Adolescence’ writer wants social media ban for kids and no phones in schools

The writer behind Netflix hit Adolescence has said that children should be refused access to social media, as well as phones in school, in order to tackle ongoing problems in society.

• READ MORE: Adolescence review – Stephen Graham’s terrifying warning about toxic masculinity

Starring Stephen Graham and Owen Cooper, the show follows a young boy who is arrested for the murder of his classmate. The show explores the aftermath of the crime, as well as the psychological and social factors that led to it.

The show’s story looks at the rise of misogyny among young boys, the impact of social media on their attitudes, and the challenges faced by parents who navigate their child’s upbringing in a rapidly changing online world. Addressing the subject of social media’s influence with BBC News, writer Jack Thorne suggested a social media blackout for youngsters.

“We do believe perhaps the answer to this is in parliament and legislating – and taking kids away from their phones in school and taking kids away from social media altogether” he said. He also remarked that researching examples of toxic masculinity online was disturbing.

“(The ideas were) incredibly troubling to me because it’s a logic that I know some people would have been incredibly drawn to, including me when I was a kid” he explained. “If I’m 13 and I feel alone and isolated and unattractive… these things then sound like the answer to my pain”.

Former England men’s football team manager Gareth Southgate recently talked about the issues young men face in society while delivering the annual Richard Dimbleby Lecture. He said (via the BBC): “Too many young men are isolated. Too many feel uncomfortable opening up to friends or family”.

“Young men end up withdrawing, reluctant to talk or express their emotions,” he continued. “They spend more time online searching for direction and are falling into unhealthy alternatives like gaming, gambling and pornography.”

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