Tonight on 'Closer Look': Everyone seems to agree that incessant cellphone use has had a negative impact on youth mental health — but what should we do about it? Should Canadian kids be banned from using social media until they're 16? That is the key recommendation of a new policy paper released by the non-partisan Macdonald-Laurier Institute, which says a new minimum age would help mitigate the negative impacts of social media use, including increased depression, anxiety and self-harm. The report also recommends strengthening school cellphone and social media bans, and taking steps to "reorient childhood around free play instead of focusing on screen time." On tonight's 'Closer Look,' we revisit a recent episode of our Inside the Village podcast featuring Sachin Maharaj, a University of Ottawa education professor whose research focuses on the impact of cellphones in schools. He agrees that widespread social media use has had a major impact on youth mental health. "If you look at the rates of things like depression, anxiety, even things like suicide among young kids, it's really gone up quite remarkably," Maharaj said. "Data from Ontario now indicates that over one in four teens now report being in serious psychological distress, which is pretty alarming." "There is a lot of reason to suggest that increased time on social media is contributing to this, and it has largely fallen on schools to address these issues," he continued. "So schools are providing a lot more supports in terms of psychologists, social workers, child and youth workers. As well, teachers are expected to now support and address kids' mental health needs." You can watch the full episode HERE. Hosted by Scott Sexsmith and Michael Friscolanti, the Editor-in-Chief of Village Media, Inside the Village is a news and current affairs podcast that provides a weekly window into some of the best local journalism from across our chain of Ontario newsrooms. Produced by Derek Turner, the program also explores bigger-picture issues that impact people across the province. Every episode is can be found HERE. If you prefer the audio version, it is available wherever you find your favourite podcasts. Have something to say? You can reach us at [email protected]. Want to see more video features from Village Media? Please subscribe to our YouTube channel.