Source · Select Committees · Education Committee
Fourth Report - Screen time: impacts on education and wellbeing
Education Committee
HC 118
Published 25 May 2024
Recommendations
5
Accepted
Para 42
Informal monitoring of school mobile phone ban prevents proper assessment and measurement.
Recommendation
Initially introducing the ban on a non-statutory basis is the right approach, but the success of the ban will depend on its implementation and how widely it is taken up. We do not agree with the Government’s approach of informally …
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Government Response Summary
The government states it will continue to build a robust evidence base on school mobile phone policies through a call for evidence and ongoing DfE omnibus surveys. It asserts that this existing data collection helps inform future actions and indicates widespread compliance with current non-statutory guidance, making a statutory ban currently unnecessary.
Department for Education
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8
Accepted
Amend guidance to detail mobile phone storage costs and permit parental contact during commute.
Recommendation
Government guidance must also set out the approximate cost of certain approaches, such as secure storage. The next Government must also ensure parents are not prevented from being able to contact their children during their commute to school. The guidance …
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Government Response Summary
The government states that its existing Mobile Phones in Schools (2024) guidance already advises schools to consider the impact on pupils travelling to and from school and to consult parents, providing a toolkit and outlining exemptions for children with SEND or medical conditions.
Department for Education
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20
Accepted
Para 95
Expedite Online Safety Act implementation with Ofcom and implement robust age verification on platforms.
Recommendation
The next Government must work with Ofcom to ensure that there are no delays to implementation of the Online Safety Act 2023 and set out how it is working with Ofcom to ensure children are protected during the transition period. …
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Government Response Summary
The government commits to swift implementation of the Online Safety Act, outlining specific timelines for illegal content duties (Spring 2025), children's risk assessment guidance (April 2025), and child safety duties to be fully effective by Summer 2025, including age assurance for various services.
Department for Education
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23
Accepted
Para 107
Apply Online Safety Act penalties to social media companies breaching age verification requirements
Recommendation
Decisions made by the Government on the level of the digital age of consent must be effectively enforced. Ofcom must need to be able to go further than simply naming and shaming those who breach age verification measures. The Online …
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Government Response Summary
The government confirms that the Online Safety Act 2023 already provides Ofcom with robust enforcement powers, including substantial fines and criminal offences for non-compliance with child safety duties. These existing powers are deemed sufficient to ensure compliance with age verification requirements for social media companies.
Department for Education
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Conclusions (3)
2
Conclusion
Accepted
Para 26
The overwhelming weight of evidence submitted to us suggests that the harms of screen time and social media use significantly outweigh the benefits for young children, whereas limited use of screens and genuinely educational uses of digital technology can have benefits for older children. For this reason, screen time should …
Government Response Summary
The government states that schools already have powers and non-statutory guidance (published February 2024) to ban mobile phones, and surveys show compliance, making a statutory ban unnecessary. They will continue to build an evidence base through a call for evidence and ongoing surveys, and NIHR is funding related research.
4
Conclusion
Accepted
Para 41
We strongly welcome the Government’s decision to implement a tougher mobile phone ban in schools in England. We welcome the fact that this includes break times and sends a clearer message than previous guidance about the benefits of having phones out of sight and reach. It is clear that a …
Government Response Summary
The government confirms it will continue to gather evidence on mobile phone policies, including through a call for evidence and ongoing DfE omnibus surveys. It explains that a statutory ban is not currently considered necessary, as existing guidance is being widely followed by schools, and refers to the non-statutory guidance published in February 2024.
29
Conclusion
Accepted
Para 130
The UK’s edtech sector is the largest in Europe, and more schools in England are using edtech and AI than ever before. Although edtech has some benefits, we are concerned about the implications of edtech and AI on children’s data and privacy. The Online Safety Act 2023 is exempted in …
Government Response Summary
The government commits to ensuring safe use of tech and AI in schools, outlining actions such as publishing AI safety expectations, developing online resources and guidance by 2025-2026, funding Ofsted insights, and providing guidance for schools on data protection, IP, cybersecurity, and content moderation.