Members of the newly formed Youth Select Committee have launched a call for evidence as part of their inquiry into the links between social media and youth violence.  

 The twelve-strong committee members – aged between 14 and 19 – want to hear from expert individuals, youth organisations and politicians to better understand how young people’s exposure to violent content on social media platforms can relate to incidents of serious violence. This includes knife crime, gun crime, and gang-related activity, committed by or against under-18s.  

 The Youth Select Committee is also asking young people from across the United Kingdom to submit evidence and share their own experiences with social media content that depicts serious or weapon-based violence.  

 The topic of the inquiry was voted as the most concerning issue for all Members of Youth Parliament (MYPs), who applied for membership of the Youth Select Committee. The Committee then agreed on the terms of reference, ahead of the launch of the inquiry.  

 Wania Eshaal Ahmad (Yorkshire and Humber), Chair of the Youth Select Committee, said: “Youth violence is a topic which is very close to my heart as I have seen first-hand the huge impact that it has on young people and communities.” 

 “It is essential to listen to young people’s thoughts and experiences on the complex issue of youth violence, specifically in relation to social media, as it will allow us to shape meaningful policies that genuinely reflect the needs and realities of today’s youth. The Youth Select Committee understands the need for contributions from all walks of life and acknowledges that sharing these thoughts can be challenging, however, every voice adds depth to our research and understanding of this vital issue – this understanding will be critical in driving real, lasting change across the UK.” 

 The inquiry seeks to explore a range of questions, including: 

·       The extent to which social media platforms promote violent content 

·       How social media companies enforce age restrictions  

·       The effectiveness of UK Government policy in protecting young people from harmful online content

The launch of the call for evidence comes as members of the Youth Select Committee, who are Members of the Youth Parliament, met for the first time as a committee on 7^th November and elected Wania Eshaal Ahmad (Yorkshire and Humber) as Chair, using the Alternative Vote system. 

 The Youth Select Committee gives young people the opportunity to scrutinise and hold inquiries into topics that matter to them. Previous inquiries conducted by the Youth Select Committee considered the impact of knife crime, and impact of the cost-of living on young people. 

 The Committee invites written contributions by midnight on 16^th January 2024 by emailing: youthselectcommittee@parliament.uk.