Introduction to the Issue

The UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, recently hosted a meeting at Downing Street with the makers of the hit Netflix drama 'Adolescence' to discuss the impact of toxic online content on society. The show, which tells the story of a 13-year-old boy accused of murdering a girl from his class, has sparked a national conversation about the effects of social media and 'manosphere' influencers on young people.

Sir Keir Starmer described the show as 'a torch that shines intensely brightly' on a combination of issues that many people don't know how to respond to, including misogyny, online content, and the sense of children getting drawn into a world of harmful ideologies. He acknowledged that the show was 'at times harrowing' but believed it had 'lit a touch paper' under the debate about these issues.

Meeting with Creators and Charities

The meeting was attended by the show's writer, Jack Thorne, and producer, Jo Johnson, as well as charities such as the NSPCC and Children's Society, and young people. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy was also present. Thorne has called for 'radical' action by the government to address the issue of toxic online content, including a smartphone ban in schools and a 'digital age of consent' similar to Australia's.

Sir Keir Starmer expressed his support for Netflix's decision to make the series available to all UK secondary schools through the Into Film+ schools streaming service, stating that young people should be watching the show to raise awareness about these issues. However, he also emphasized that there is no 'silver bullet response' or 'policy lever that can be pulled' to solve the problem, and that it requires a broader cultural shift.

Government Response and Next Steps

The government has pointed to measures such as the Online Safety Act, which aims to protect children from harmful material online, including pornography, self-harm, bullying, and content encouraging dangerous stunts. Sir Keir Starmer acknowledged that this is 'an important piece of legislation' but suggested that more work needs to be done to protect young people.

The Prime Minister also denied that showing the programme in schools would demonize boys who spend a lot of time online but haven't ended up like the character in 'Adolescence'. He emphasized that many boys would be somewhere on a continuum of being drawn into harmful ideologies and that the show can help facilitate conversations about these issues.