In a deeply disturbing revelation to MPs, a child was reported to have killed a litter of puppies after being exposed to videos of animal cruelty on social media while at school. The incident was disclosed during a parliamentary hearing focused on the escalating dangers of online platforms for young people.
Severe Psychological Impact Following the Attack
According to Dr Rebecca Foljambe, founder of Health Professionals for Safer Screens, the boy experienced severe nightmares in the aftermath of the attack at his home. She detailed that the child had watched a video on a smartphone, shared by a peer at school, which depicted methods of harming animals, directly influencing his actions.
Dr Foljambe warned the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee of a concerning increase in pupils accessing violent content online, including footage targeting both children and animals. She stated, 'We had a recent case of a child who watched animal cruelty on a smartphone from a child who showed him at school and went home and killed a litter of puppies and came to us with severe nightmares.'
Broader Concerns Over Social Media Harms
Beyond animal cruelty, Dr Foljambe highlighted other detrimental effects of social media, such as a decline in the use of hormonal contraceptives among young women due to misinformation linking the pill to weight gain, infertility, and brain tumours. She noted that this has contributed to rising teenage pregnancy and abortion rates, describing it as really damaging for young women.
The committee heard from multiple experts, including Frank Young, chief executive of the charity Parentkind, who shared alarming statistics. He reported that one in five 16 to 18-year-olds feel social media has made them feel like life was not worth living, with a third receiving sexual imagery from strangers and a similar number regularly exposed to extremely violent content.
Parliamentary Debate on Under-16 Social Media Ban
This testimony comes amid intense parliamentary discussions on whether to implement a ban on social media for children under 16. Recently, MPs rejected such a proposal in the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, with a vote of 307 to 173 against the amendment brought by Tory former minister Lord Nash.
However, the government secured support for granting additional powers to the Secretary of State, potentially allowing future restrictions. Science Secretary Liz Kendall could be empowered to restrict or ban children of certain ages from accessing social media services and chat bots, as explained by education minister Olivia Bailey.
Political Reactions and Further Measures
Lord Nash expressed disappointment over the Commons vote, pledging to revive the amendment in the House of Lords. During debates, shadow education secretary Laura Trott urged immediate action, citing polling that shows 40% of children are exposed to explicit content during school hours. She called for legislation rather than further consultations, labelling the situation an emergency.
The bill will return to the Lords for further consideration, requiring agreement from both Houses to become law. If passed, it would also mandate councils to assess home environments within 15 days for children not in school, a response linked to the tragic case of 10-year-old Sara Sharif, murdered in 2023.
Additionally, Ms Bailey confirmed that Benedict's law, aimed at enhancing allergy safety guidance in schools, will be enacted, underscoring broader efforts to protect children's wellbeing in educational settings.
