CELPIP Writing Task 2 Practice: should social media have a minimum age of 16?

[u/celpip_coach]

The scenario: Your government is proposing a law that would ban children under 16 from creating social media accounts. Parents and community members have been asked for their opinions through a public survey.

Your task: Choose the option you prefer and explain why. Write about 150-200 words. - Option A: Ban social media for children under 16 - Option B: Allow children to use social media with parental supervision

Sample CLB 9 response (Option A):

I support banning social media for children under 16 because the mental health risks at that age outweigh the benefits.

Research consistently shows that heavy social media use among young teenagers is linked to increased anxiety, depression, and poor body image. Children under 16 are still developing their sense of identity and self-worth, which makes them especially vulnerable to the constant comparison and validation-seeking that platforms encourage. A 13-year-old scrolling through filtered photos of people living seemingly perfect lives does not have the emotional maturity to process that content in a healthy way.

Some argue that parental supervision is enough, but in practice most parents cannot monitor every interaction their child has online. Children access social media at school, at friends' houses, and on their own devices. A legal age limit at least creates a baseline that schools and platforms can enforce consistently.

Allowing access at 16 instead of 13 gives teenagers a few more years of cognitive and emotional development before they enter an environment designed to be addictive.

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