AIBU to think parents will break the social media rules for summerborn children’s GCSE revision?

[SummerAutumnborn]

So as a parent of a September born child my child will be able to access YouTube educational videos before their GCSEs start. Some of these resources are excellent.

Their best friend (August born) will not be able to access any videos before the GCSEs start unless their parents break the rules.

At A-Level my child will have unlimited access their best friend won’t - a problem for kids who access sports clubs in the evening and want to revise before bed.

Summer borns have an educational disadvantage anyway - will this widen the gap further? Here is a BBC article from a few years ago.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-23435439

Am I being unreasonable thinking parents who agree with the SM ban will break the rules if it disadvantages their summer born child?

Out of interest for those of you who do support the social media ban are you going to say to your child that they cannot access exam resources on YouTube and X even if they are better than school and BBC resources? Or when it comes to an educational advantage will you find it acceptable to break the rules and allow access?

I disagree with the ban btw so would have no issue if it affected my child.

If I wanted my children to watch specific YouTube educational videos (or they did) surely I could just put them on the TV. Or I would just get them via other sources.

I am comforted by this ban, I would have tried to keep my kids off social media but it’s easier when everyone else is as well!

You're overthinking this one. Just use your account or don't sign in.

I thought the whole point was you will have to verify your age so the government will prevent anyone from accessing any social media unless this has been done. The go around can’t be as simple as just don’t log in surely? most teens don’t actually create content nor comment on videos I expect. If they are anything like mine they just watch. My daughter came in earlier to show us fart videos. That is the level we are operating at. And no, she’s not young.

depends on the browser, most companies are based abroad, so if you use eg opera browser and set the vpn to europe etc then from a computer perspective you can use eg youtube

Really good revision isn't really just watching stuff or reading it.

Its more effective if combined with less passive methods like testing yourself or memory exercises.

God forbid these kids use book to revise from

I don't think anyone mentioned videos being the only revision they would do?
Good lord.

You don't have dyslexic children do you!

How does Keir plan to police the ban. He can’t even stop humans crossing the border even though he’s paying out for security he couldn’t fight his way out of a paper bag. I’m just curious no kids at the age of banning so not bothered either way. but so much stuff is illegal and people still get around the law. It’s a pity he doesn’t make under age sex a priority.

You may notice I am cross at the dismissivness of the responses to revising using videos.

I am mother to a child with dyslexia. Yes, we use videos. Yes, some videos explain answers step by step. No, it's not the only part of revision.

However, kids without dyslexia also use these videos; people are selling revision books which are like brand new as their kids used only online resources. No one is buying books to revise from anymore.

I'm glad to hear You Tube is still going to be available.

Because to me YT seems much less personal and more like telly for niche subjects or mash ups of actual telly. The others are all just about setting up your own profile and telling people about what you had for dinner or what an ace life you personally have etc. YT just seems different to what I’d call
social media.

My 14 year old doesn’t have (or want) Snapchat, Instagram or TikTok.
He does use YouTube to revise to great effect though. The maths videos on there are better than the ones sparx maths uses to explain concepts he doesn’t understand and there are some great science and history videos that he enjoys watching.
I’ve reassured him that he’ll still be able to watch these and if they introduce some sort of age verification I’ll sign in for him.

I think the ban is a good idea in principle but really it should be on the companies to stop it being so addictive and to clean up content

WhatsApp and signal are apparently not included in the ban.

This is about limiting young people's exposure to constant doomscrolling through addictive short videos, algorithms pushing ever more intense content etc.

Not about stopping 15 year olds watching educational videos or texting mates.

It won't disadvantage kids. The opposite. It will improve their attention spans, mental health and wellbeing.

Yes and its been quite bad for their brains.

These young people have terrible rates of screen addiction, school refusal and mental health issues. The fact that they like revising via videos does not make access good for them in the long term.

Not really ground breaking. Those of us who were caring for children during Covid and the taping off of playgrounds didn't make sense, broke the rules, by just climbing over the railings etc. The government doesn't always get things right.

No one is going to stop you playing youtube videos for your kid 😂

What a load of old rubbish.
You have no idea what the kids are doing when no looking at a maths video!

@ToffeeCrabApple I'd say school refusal and poor MH in the ND community is because of a lack of appropriate teaching, environment etc.

Some of the best maths and science content is on YouTube. Teachers explaining concepts in simple straightforward ways. Most importantly, they may be explaining it using a different method than the classroom teacher and that might be the explanation that clicks for the student.

Are there really this many dense people in the uk?
Your teen will be able to use revision resources online. FGS!

I think the social media ban is great but any chance it can apply somehow to those in year 10 below (ie must be 15 on 31 August 2026). Just feels divisive given how much educational stuff is on social media and there will some on Snapchat etc and others not, all in the same year.

And that’s why it won’t work. If you can’t keep your kids off SM now, you will probably delight in giving them access after the ban starts.

How? Pretty much thing is on you tube? Unless, as people seem to saying, this isn’t actually a ban in any way as kids can just ignore it.

I'm pleased with the ban. Also, revising on X? REALLY?

No one is talking about x. The content is on you tube and that is covered by the ban