Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer recently opened up about the impact of the Netflix drama Adolescence, admitting that watching it with his teenage children was a difficult experience.
The show, which focuses on a 13-year-old boy accused of murder, has sparked a nationwide discussion about the consequences of toxic online material. Speaking at a Downing Street meeting, Starmer emphasized that Adolescence serves as a poignant and troubling reflection of issues that many are unsure how to address.
“It shines intensely brightly on a combination of issues that many people don’t know how to respond to,” Starmer said, acknowledging the drama’s powerful exploration of complex societal problems.
However, he warned that there isn’t a simple solution or a single policy that can solve these issues, noting that they are deep-rooted and multifaceted.
Starmer welcomed Netflix’s decision to make the series available for free in secondary schools, recognizing that it could serve as an important educational tool. The drama has catalyzed a broader national conversation about the dangers of social media, online communities like the “manosphere,” and the often harmful influence these platforms have on young people.
Jack Thorne, who co-wrote Adolescence with actor Stephen Graham, argued during the meeting that the government should take stronger actions, such as banning smartphones in schools or instituting a “digital age of consent,” much like the law passed in Australia that prohibits children under 16 from using social media. Thorne’s proposal underscores the urgency of regulating digital spaces to protect young people.
At the meeting, Thorne and producer Jo Johnson presented their views alongside various organizations, including the NSPCC and Children’s Society, as well as young people who have been directly affected by these issues. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy also attended the discussion.
According to Starmer, the show’s harrowing content had ignited a necessary debate about the influence of toxic online material on young people. “We’ve been watching with our children – my boy is 16, my girl is 14 – and I have to say, I found it really hard,” Starmer shared.
He explained that Adolescence resonated with him because “what happens in the drama could really happen anywhere, and almost happen to any child.” The show, he said, shone a light on disturbing topics like misogyny, harmful online content, and the growing vulnerability of boys, in particular, who are drawn into these online worlds.
Starmer acknowledged that this issue was broader than simple policy fixes. “There isn’t an obvious policy response which will answer all of these questions,” he said. Instead, he emphasized that this was a cultural issue that requires a collective societal response. He expressed his support for the decision to make the show available in schools, believing that young people should have the opportunity to watch it and engage with its themes.
“It’s much broader than that. It’s a cultural issue, and therefore we’re going to have to look more broadly, work as a society on this, and discuss it,” Starmer said. This collective conversation, he added, is crucial to tackling the problems raised by the series.
Netflix’s move to offer the drama for free to all UK secondary schools through the Into Film+ schools streaming service is seen as a step in the right direction. This initiative will provide students with access to important conversations around online safety and the consequences of engaging with harmful content.
When asked about the Conservative opposition’s proposal to ban smartphones in schools, Starmer pointed out that 97% of schools already implemented some form of phone ban, suggesting that this is not the central issue at hand.
“If we’re going to get to grips with this, I personally would much rather we focus on what I think is the real issue, which is, whether you’re at school or elsewhere, what are you actually accessing?” Starmer explained, stressing the importance of addressing the harmful material young people encounter online.
While acknowledging that banning smartphones may seem like an immediate solution, Starmer believes that the real challenge lies in what content children are exposed to on these devices. This includes not only social media but also other forms of harmful online material.
He pointed to the Online Safety Act, which aims to protect children from content such as pornography, self-harm material, bullying, and dangerous challenges. The act requires social media companies to implement “age assurance technologies” to block children from accessing harmful content.
Starmer called the legislation an “important piece of legislation,” but he also suggested that further work might be needed to ensure better protection for young people in the digital age.
The Prime Minister also rejected the suggestion that showing Adolescence in schools would unfairly stigmatize boys who spend a lot of time online but do not end up engaging with the extreme content depicted in the drama. “I think it’s probably wrong to think that there’s just a group of boys that are drawn to this [material],” Starmer said.
He clarified that while there is a group of boys who are drawn to the extreme edges of online culture, many boys may be somewhere in between, influenced by various aspects of online content. The show, Starmer added, offers a more nuanced portrayal of the issue, acknowledging that not all young people who engage with online material are susceptible to its most damaging effects.
In conclusion, the meeting and the ongoing discussion sparked by Adolescence reflect the growing concern over the impact of the internet on young people. Sir Keir Starmer has emphasized the need for a comprehensive and cultural approach to these issues, one that goes beyond policy and includes education, societal responsibility, and greater awareness of the challenges posed by online content.
The drama, by illuminating these important issues, has provided a platform for conversations that are crucial to the future of young people’s well-being in a digital world.
