9th May 2025
Youth Select Committee Report: Youth Violence and Social Media
With the total number of instances of youth violence remaining higher than a decade ago and young people increasingly interacting with content online, the Youth Select Committee (part of the UK Youth Parliament) launched an inquiry in November 2024 to investigate the links between social media and youth violence.
The report calls for a multi-layered response to youth violence and the role of social media, including stronger regulation and government intervention.
Details
Youth violence is a serious issue with one in five young people having been a victim in the previous year. Poverty and social exclusion drive youth violence. With over 90% of young people in England and Wales using social media, examining its link to youth violence is increasingly important.
Following an inquiry and evidence gathering, the Youth Select Committee report identifies several key themes:
- Over 70% of young people have seen violent content on social media in the past 12 months. Social media algorithms make violent content easily accessible, and influencers contribute by sharing harmful content and displaying extreme behaviours.
- Concerns exist about the effectiveness of the Online Safety Act 2023, including age assurance and risk assessment mechanisms.
- Exposure to violent content online can desensitize young people to real-world violence, normalize aggressive behaviour, and lead to retaliatory violence.
- Issues with age verification allow weapons to be advertised and purchased by young people.
- The pressures on the youth sector and schools reduce their ability to address online harms and youth violence. Limited safe spaces for young people and inadequate media literacy provision compound these issues.
Taking the themes into account, the review concludes that banning social media for under-16s would be too draconian and prevent young people from accessing its benefits. Instead, the report makes several key recommendations:
- Regulation should deter social media companies from hosting inappropriate content. The government should implement a consumer-facing online safety standards rating, report annually to Parliament on the Online Safety Act, and work to prevent weapon sales through social media.
- The government should evaluate existing evidence on online experiences and violence.
- Non-criminal justice interventions are also needed. The government should fund multi-agency approaches to youth violence, drawing from Violence Reduction Unit programmes.
- A timeline for the Young Futures programme should be published, detailing outcomes and milestones. Collaboration with local authorities is essential to create universal access opportunities for young people to deter violence.
- Effective media literacy and online safety should be embedded in the National Curriculum and teacher training. An up-to-date online hub should provide information on media literacy and online safety for parents, carers, and other responsible adults.
Commentary
The Youth Select Committee’s report highlights the complex link between online content and youth violence. Criminal defence lawyers and youth justice workers have a key role to play — by recognising how online influences shape young people’s behaviour, raising it in mitigation, and advocating for trauma-informed, holistic responses. Supporting digital literacy and working with local services can help address root causes and protect vulnerable young people.