The Government’s announcement that it will be exploring the possibility of imposing a social media ban for children age 16 and under is being applauded by child advocates and education professionals, who say it would be a vital step in protecting young people from harmful online content and behaviour.

National Parent-Teacher Association of Jamaica President Stewart Jacobs lamented what he described as the negative impact that excessive use of social media has had on children's mental health.

“Social media is distracting, creates another form of identity for the child. It also creates another form of instructions given to the child [and] creates another layer of ethics and values that is outside of [our] society.”