Upcoming Event
Centre for Innovation and Research in Childhood and Youth (CIRCY) and Sussex Digital Humanities Lab (SHL) roundtable:
“Are smartphone and social media bans the best way to support children growing up in a digital world?”
Thursday 12 June, 3-5PM
Digital Humanities Lab, Silverstone Building
Over the past year, calls for smartphone and social media bans for children have gained significant momentum among parents, policymakers, and the media. In November, the Australian government passed legislation to prohibit all individuals under 16 from using social media. However, concerns have emerged regarding the practicality of enforcing this ban and whether it might push young people toward more secretive or unregulated social media use. In the UK, organisations like Smartphone Free Childhood have advocated for limiting smartphone access for children under 14, while the recent Schools Bill has sparked discussions about introducing compulsory smartphone bans in schools. Additionally, the television drama Adolescence has fuelled further interest in the issue, with the show’s creator expressing support for social media bans for young people.
This event will bring together a panel of University of Sussex experts on youth and digital technology to explore whether complete bans are the most effective approach to helping young people navigate the digital world safely. Drawing from a wide range of expertise, the panel will delve into the major challenges young people face in their digital lives and consider what child- and youth-centred perspectives can contribute to the ongoing debate.
The panel will include:
Prof Nicola Yuill – Professor of Developmental Psychology lead of the Children and Technology Lab (ChaT Lab) and Autism Community Research Network Sussex.
Dr Suraj Lakhani - Associate Professor in Sociology and Criminology, and Director of the Sussex Terrorism and Extremism Research Network (STERN).
Dr Gemma Cobb – Assistant Professor in Digital Culture, author of the book Negotiating Thinness Online: The Cultural Politics of Pro-Anorexia.
Dr Liam Berriman – Associate Professor in Childhood and Youth Studies, and Director of the Centre for Innovation and Research in Childhood and Youth (CIRCY).
University of Sussex staff and students are invited to sign up for the event, but please notes that spaces will be limited. To secure your place, please sign up via the following link: https://buytickets.at/circy/1703082
For any questions, please contact circyadmin@sussex.ac.uk
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How can the voices of children be heard?
- Video Transcript
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CoE - Liam [Childhood + Youth] - Social Cut – TRANSCRIPT
[MUSIC: Whoosh sound effect into building strings]
[TITLE CARD: ‘Centre for Innovation and Research in Childhood and Youth’]
Dr Liam Berriman: Voices of children remain amongst the most marginalised in policy and decision making in the UK.
[MUSIC: Whoosh sound effect into old detuned piano playing nostalgic chords]
Dr Liam Berriman: How children and young people experience society in this data driven and digital era is a key element of our work. We need to explore their perspective on the world and to do that in a very creative and innovative way.
[ON SCREEN TEXT: ‘Dr Liam Berriman Director, Centre for Innovation and Research in Childhood and Youth’]
[MUSIC: Whoosh sound effect into staccato piano twinkling]
Dr Liam Berriman: My research involves gathering the voices of children and young people, as well as their families and carers and those who work with them, to improve how they’re treated, how they can access specialist services and how policies can be developed to best meet their needs.
Since so much of their lives involves data being gathered about them, we’re also concerned with how this information is used, particularly for the purpose of safeguarding. At our centre we can make the world a better place in terms of wanting meaningful change in their lives.
[MUSIC: A final positive chord plays on a keyboard]
[END CARD: University of Sussex logo ‘Impossible until it’s done ’ with URL sussex.ac.uk/impossible]
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