Former EastEnders Star Natalie Cassidy Sounds Alarm Over 'Shocking' Social Media Content for Teens
Natalie Cassidy, the former EastEnders actress known for her role as Sonia Fowler, has voiced profound concern over the 'terrifying' content accessible to teenagers on social media platforms. With over three decades of experience in dramatic television storylines, Cassidy asserts that nothing compares to the disturbing material her 15-year-old daughter Eliza encounters daily online.
Campaign to Raise Social Media Access Age to 16
Cassidy is actively supporting the 'Big Tech's Little Victims' campaign, which advocates for increasing the minimum age for social media access from 13 to 16. This initiative follows an eye-opening Algorithm Experiment conducted by the campaign, revealing the types of content algorithm-driven platforms serve to young users.
The experiment involved creating four fictional profiles on TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube, designed to mimic typical 13-year-old boys and girls in the UK. Within just one week, these profiles were exposed to hundreds of pieces of concerning content.
'I cannot tell you how shocking it is,' Cassidy emphasised. 'They are looking at sexualised content, racism, violence, misogyny, extreme dieting trending towards anorexia, self-harming, and even suicidal idealisation. It's incredible.'
Parental Struggles and Desensitisation Fears
As a mother of two daughters, aged 15 and nine, Cassidy admitted to initially giving in to Eliza's pleas to join social media at age 13, naively trusting the platform's age restrictions. However, after learning about the risks, she confronted her daughter about what she sees online.
'Eliza and I have a great relationship, and I've said to her I'm really worried – what do you see? And she said, 'Mum, I don't see any of that. I'm fine',' Cassidy recounted. 'But I don't know whether they're just desensitised to it – I don't know whether it does just pop up, but it's just so normal for her to see. I don't believe for a minute that she isn't seeing those things.'
She highlighted a particularly alarming example: videos promoting knives as cool accessories for teenagers, which she insists appear on 13-year-olds' phones. 'It's terrifying,' she stated.
Algorithm Experiment's Disturbing Findings
The Algorithm Experiment's impact was so severe that one adult participant, pretending to be a 13-year-old girl, had to withdraw after just a few days due to mental distress from the content. Cassidy questioned how such exposure is permitted, calling for immediate action to halt these algorithms.
'This campaign is saying we need to not do this. We need to stop these algorithms. This material should not be seen by children under 16. And quite frankly, I don't want to see it either,' she asserted.
Call for Government Intervention
The 'Big Tech's Little Victims' campaign is spearheaded by the National Education Union, with General Secretary Daniel Kebede urging the Government to act swiftly. 'Children are being exposed to deeply harmful content on social media, even when platforms know their age. This is not accidental – it is how these systems are designed,' he said.
Cassidy pointed to Australia's recent legislation banning under-16s from major social media services as a model, noting that parents currently have limited power to protect their children without legal changes. 'It's really difficult as a parent in this day and age to police your children's phone – it's impossible to be behind their back 24/7 looking at it,' she explained.
Life Beyond EastEnders and Parenting Challenges
Currently hosting the 'Life with Nat' podcast, Cassidy enjoys discussing parenting and everyday life, offering a respite from the curated perfection often promoted online. Reflecting on her potential return to EastEnders, she remained open but focused on her current endeavours.
She underscored the unique challenges modern parents face, contrasting her own childhood with today's digital landscape. 'They're living in such a different world to when I grew up. I'm 43 this year, and I know it's boring, but it's true – we didn't have to watch all of these images,' Cassidy said.
'With Snapchat and all of these things online, life is just 24/7 for these kids. It's hard enough for us to deal with, let alone them.'
