My daughter spends 5 hours-a-day on YouTube - ban will cause withdrawal symptoms

A mum whose 10-year-old daughter spends five hours a day on social media fears the ban will cause "withdrawal symptoms".

Lucy Bryan, 39, gave her daughter Lois a tablet when she was three, and gave her a phone when she was eight.

The mum-of-two, who also has a younger daughter, Charlotte, four, says Lois spends up to five hours a day on social media, watching make-up videos, which have left her wanting to wear a full face of make-up to the park, as she feels she looks “ugly” otherwise.

Lucy, from Tamworth, Staffordshire, says social media causes Lois to lash out and have mood swings, but once the Government’s social media ban for under-16s comes into force, in spring 2027, she is concerned about the withdrawal Lois will go through from her social media addiction.

She is calling for the Government to put more support in place to help parents understand and manage their children’s withdrawal symptoms.

Lucy, who works as a beauty therapist, told Talk to the Press: “When I first heard the announcement, I thought it was brilliant, and the Government was finally seeing sense.

“Then I saw how my daughter reacted; she was lashing out and having a tantrum.

“It made me think about what support parents are going to be given to help kids through the withdrawal symptoms they’re going to have from social media addiction.

“It will be like suddenly taking cigarettes off a smoker, with no nicotine patches.

“It’s a pandemic; it’s robbed kids of their childhood.

“She has such bad mood swings. If we tell her she can’t use her phone, it creates a bit of a monster.

“I’m really worried about the long-term effects of it on her mental health.”

Lois said: “I was so angry when I heard about the ban. I’ll really miss social media, especially when I’m bored as I just go on YouTube and start scrolling through make-up videos.

“I can see a benefit for children’s mental health, because children of this generation are just watching their phones, but in the 80s and 90s, they were playing outside all the time.

“I do think I’ve got addicted to it, and it does change my behaviour.

“My friend already knows a cheat code to get around the ban.”

When Lois was three, Lucy bought her an Amazon Fire Tablet, which she used to watch YouTube Kids videos.

“I found it really weird that she would sit for hours watching videos of other children playing, instead of playing herself," Lucy said.

Then, at around the age of six, Lois began watching make-up tutorials on YouTube, whilst at her friend’s houses, which influenced her to want to start wearing make-up herself.

“She wants to leave the house with contour, foundation and concealer," said Lucy.

“When I tell her she’s not allowed, she acts like I’m the worst parent in the world, but what she doesn’t realise is that she’s making herself look older, which is really scary from a predatory point of view.

“She told me she looks ugly without make-up, which really resonated with me, as she’s only 10 years old.

“I’m really worried about body dysmorphia.”

Lucy believes that watching make-up videos on social media has influenced Lois to grow up faster, and have the mind of a 16 or 17-year-old.

“From age eight, she’s not been interested in toys, her Christmas list is all perfume, and skincare," she said.

Lois got her first phone at age eight, which Lucy bought for her to keep her safe when she was playing with her friends in the local neighbourhood, but she predominantly uses it for watching YouTube.

Lucy doesn’t let Lois have a TikTok or Snapchat account on her phone but allows her daughter to use the filters on her own Snapchat account to take pictures.

“My camera roll is full of pictures of her pouting, it’s not what you want to see, she should be playing with toys," she said.

Lucy said that left to her own devices, Lois would spend all day watching YouTube on her phone.

Her social media addiction has affected her schoolwork, and Lucy said she now no longer wants to attend school, as she would rather just sit at home and watch YouTube.

When the social media ban comes into force, Lucy believes Lois will try to use methods such as VPNs to get around the regulations.

She is worried that this will foster a culture of lying and secrecy among children and young people.

Although Lucy is in support of the ban, she believes the Government needs to put support in place to help parents recognise withdrawal symptoms from social media and how to deal with them.

And although Lois is completely against the ban now, Lucy is hopeful that her daughter will see the benefits of it eventually.

“I’m looking forward to 12 months after the ban, when her brain has reset to normality," she said.

“I’m so glad my younger daughter, Charlotte, will never have to go through this.”