The recent social media ban for under 16s announced by the UK government has been welcomed by the MP for Monmouthshire.

As part of the decision to implement the new policy, a three-month UK Government consultation was launched to gauge public opinion on the issue. Alongside the consultation, the Labour MP ran her own survey across Monmouthshire to gather the views of local parents, residents and young people.

The results showed strong support for action, with 81% of respondents backing a ban on social media for under-16s. The survey also found that 63% of respondents were "very concerned" about their children using social media, while only 4.2% said they were "not concerned at all".

The biggest concerns raised by parents included the impact of social media on young people's mental health, exposure to harmful content and the risks posed by contact with dangerous individuals online.

The results of the local survey were submitted to the UK Government's consultation and shared a summary of the findings directly with Ministers.

Under the new plans, nearly all social media platforms will be banned for under-16s, while messaging services such as WhatsApp and Signal will remain available so young people can continue to contact friends and family.

It has been confirmed that Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, Facbeook and YouTube will definitely come under the list of banned platforms with a potential for more to follow.

However, the government has come under fire for some of the other options it is also exploring, including overnight curfews and restrictions on infinite scrolling for under-18s.

There are also concerns that the ban will not be effective enough to protect some young people from the serious threats posed by the online world. Tech-savvy teenagers could use a VPN to make their device appear as though it is in another country - and therefore flout the regulations - and anyone with a fake ID could possibly get through to a banned social media platform.

Ms Fookes said her experience as a school governor and as a parent prompted her to support the ban.

"As a parent myself and a former school governor, I know how harmful social media can be for children,” she said.

“Too many times, I have seen social media used for bullying, sharing inappropriate material and exposing young people to dangerous content. Parents have made it very clear to me that they are concerned about the impact social media is having on their children's mental health, safety and wellbeing.”

“I know some people have concerns about how effective the ban will be. I completely understand those concerns, but the same can be said about alcohol and smoking for young people, they may find a way around the ban, but it doesn't mean we shouldn't bother implementing one.”

“This is really positive news from the UK Government and I will continue to follow the legislation closely as it progresses through Parliament.”

The social media ban is expected to come into force Spring next year, with further details due to be announced by the Government in the coming months.