John Fisher, a.k.a Big John, has criticised the government for plans to ban social media for under-16s, instead calling for funding for youth, sports and theatre clubs to help children get off their phones.
Over the last 12 months, Fisher has become one of the most well-known internet personalities in the country, thanks to his love of Chinese takeaways and iconic ‘bosh!’ catchphrase.
We have previously praised the man for providing a tonic to the toxic with his messages of positivity and unity, that stand in much-needed contrast to the divisive rhetoric of some self-described patriots.
Now, he’s weighed in on the government’s controversial announcement that they will be bringing in a ban on social media for under-16s.
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The ban, announced by Keir Starmer in a speech on Monday, will see user-to-user apps such as Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and YouTube all banned for under-16s from early 2027.
The plans have sparked a strong reaction on both sides of the debate, including from Fisher, who said in a video on social media that he disagree with the proposals.
But instead of simply criticising the government and offering no solution, the internet personality suggested an alternative that surely we can all agree on – giving children more opportunities to do activities outside of their homes and away from their phones.
“I know there’s problems online, I’m not denying that,” he said. “But if the government was worried about our children, [they should] start funding youth clubs, start funding sports clubs, stop putting these places out of business.
“Get the kids off the street and into theatre clubs, drama clubs, sports clubs, youth clubs. Start funding them and then people won’t be on their phones so much.
“Then you’ll see an uptick in the way society responds, let’s help our kids in a proper way, not just with gesture politics.”
Others have voiced similar concerns to Fisher, questioning what children are expected to do with their spare time as the number of youth clubs and sports clubs across the country continues to decline.
The worries were summed up pretty well by one child during an appearance on BBC News this morning. When the school girl revealed she had nine hours of screentime over the weekend, the BBC reporter asked what she would do to fill that time in a world where she can’t use social media.
The girl’s response? Stare at a wall.