The actress is calling for the government to take action (Picture: Getty)
Kate Winslet is calling for the government to take action over the impact of social media on children’s mental health.
The Oscar-winning British star, 47, insists authorities should make social media companies enforce age limits in a bid to protect youngsters.
Kate says ‘much more rigorous’ security checks are needed for people to sign up to social sites, and called on those in power to ‘crack down’ on the issue.
Speaking on Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, she said many parents feel ‘utterly powerless’ to help their children deal with the impact of social media.
‘I really do struggle with social media,’ Kate admitted. ‘I struggle with the impact it is clearly having on teenage mental health.’
She added: ‘I do wish that our government would crack down on it. I do wish that there would be certain platforms that were banned before a certain age.
Kate wants ‘rigorous’ checks in place to protect teenagers online (Picture: PA)
‘I wish that security checks would be much more rigorous.’
The film star said that, with teenagers, ‘where there’s a will there’s a way’ and ‘if they want to get on that platform, they will’.
However, she added: ‘But I do believe that there needs to be a lot more protection and accountability because parents are left flailing going, “Thank you so much, government, look what just happened to my child”.’
The Titanic star admitted she ‘struggles’ with social media herself (Picture: Mike Windle/Getty Images)
Her comments follow the news that the government dropped measures to ban ‘legal but harmful’ web content as part of its Online Safety Bill.
Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan said including the restriction risked an ‘erosion of free speech’, but campaigners said the move amounts to a ‘watering down’ of the Bill.
The Titanic actress’ plea also comes as she stars opposite her own daughter, Mia Threapleton, in the Channel 4 film I Am Ruth, which follows a concerned mother who sees her daughter becoming more and more consumed by the pressures of the online world.
She will star opposite her own daughter in I Am Ruth this month (Picture: PA)
The fictional storyline for the two-hour programme, which looks at the mental health crisis affecting young people in the UK, was developed and co-authored by Kate and and Dominic.
I Am Ruth is an instalment of the Bafta-nominated and female-led drama anthology series I Am, created by filmmaker Dominic Savage.
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The hit show has previously featured Line of Duty’s Vicky McClure in I Am Nicola and Gentleman Jack star Suranne Jones in I Am Victoria, while Samantha Morton was nominated for a gong for her turn in I Am Kirsty.
Speaking about her current project, Kate previously described the production process as ‘challenging’ but also ‘rewarding’.
I Am Ruth airs on Channel 4 on December 8.
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‘There needs to be a lot more protection and accountability’.
