MORE than 150 youth organisations and young people have written to the Prime Minister to demand changes to the under-16 social media ban.
Led by the Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP), the youth network warned that at present, young people do not have enough agency in the law-making process.
The SYP has said that it supports more controls to support safety online, but argues that a total ban will not achieve its intended aims, suggesting instead that young people are likely to find alternative means that could be more unsafe or regulated in order to access social media and other blocked sites.
The group also hopes to see a Children's Rights impact assessment carried out before the ban is implemented to better understand how it will impact the lives of young people in Scotland.
This comes after Holyrood incorporated the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into Scots Law in 2024, mandating that public bodies consider how their decisions impact the various criteria in the charter, such as education, play and health.
The letter has been presented to Andy Burnham by the SYP, with joint signatories including Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland, Children in Scotland, Together (Scotland) and Forces Children Scotland.
Ellie Craig, chair of the Scottish Youth Parliament, said: "Young people know the risks that exist online and want safer online spaces just as much as anyone else, but legislation affecting millions of young people cannot be developed without properly listening to those who will live with its consequences.
“We are asking the Prime Minister to work with young people, not simply make decisions on our behalf.
"Our message is straightforward - we want safer social media, but we also want policies that are based on evidence, that respect children's rights and genuinely make young people safer rather than unintentionally pushing them towards greater risks.”
Craig added: "If the Government is determined to proceed with these proposals, then young people must have a seat at the table and not be an afterthought."
To discuss how young people can be better involved in the process, the SYP has also offered to facilitate a meeting between the Prime Minister and young people in Scotland to better formulate plans to create safer online spaces.
