UK Doctors: Social media should be treated like tobacco

UK health experts warn that social media poses health risks to children comparable to smoking, as the government moves toward a potential under‑16 ban. A new report from the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges says young people are exposed to addictive, harmful and distressing content at scale, urging doctors to screen children for excessive social media use. The government’s consultation has drawn over 70,000 responses, with ministers signaling that action will be taken before the end of the year. Critics argue a blanket ban could backfire, pointing to Australia’s limited success, while others call for stricter enforcement of existing laws and targeted restrictions like disabling autoplay and infinite scrolling.

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