Councillors clashed over whether social media should be banned for under 16s.
Bolton Council debated a motion calling for the Government to introduce a nationwide ban, with supporters arguing it would improve children's safety and wellbeing, while opponents said it would be difficult to enforce and risk unintended consequences.
The motion, put forward by Cllr Robert Morrisey, heard claims and citations from studies alongside personal experiences from councillors about the impact of social media on young people.
Cllr Fazeelah Khan said: "Children only get one childhood.
"Those years are precious. They are the years where young people learn social skills, develop facilities and build the foundations for the rest of their lives.
"We should do everything we can to protect and nurture that experience.
"At its heart, this motion is about putting children first."
The motion's proposer told councillors the issue was not an attack on the internet but an attempt to make social media safer for children.
During the debate, members heard research cited from the Journal of the American Medical Association, the London School of Economics and other studies linking higher social media use with poorer educational outcomes and wellbeing.
Councillors also heard claims by Cllr Morrisey that a fraction of 13 to 15-year-olds experience weekly unsolicited sexual advances or targeted abuse online.
Cllr Morrisey said: "This motion is about ensuring that we have real safety online so young people can experience the positive educational benefits and social benefits of the internet whilst children are protected thoroughly as well."
Opposition councillors said they shared the aim of protecting children but questioned whether a blanket ban would achieve that.
Some argued that young people could bypass restrictions using virtual private networks, while others warned it could affect access to educational resources and suggested stronger parental controls and platform reforms instead.
Cllr David Grant, Leader of Horwich and Blackrod First Independents, said: "Nobody in this chamber disputes the absolute necessity of keeping our children safe from malicious online activity, toxic abuse and predators.
"But a blanket ban is a completely counterproductive, poorly thought-out mechanism that treats a complex cultural problem with a blunt instrument."
A blanket ban wasn’t the solution for other councillors, either.
Father-of-two Cllr Ryan Bailey, of Astley Bridge, said: "They’re going to find ways around it, with VPNs and stuff like that.
"It's just a very lazy policy, as far as I'm concerned, and we should be looking more at regulating social media."
Another councillor told the meeting about her own family's experience of online bullying.
Cllr Samantha Williamson, of Horwich South and Blackrod, said: "The screenshots of my children on social media were actually sent to my children via WhatsApp and other platforms.
"My children had deleted the bullying messages that were being sent to them for fear they upset their mum.
"By bringing the motion today, it is not to say that the ban is going to fix it all and make it go away, but it will show people that we actually care about what our children are getting access to."
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