Photo of five people crowded in a circle and all using their phones

iStockPhoto/Getty Images

Should the Government Restrict Teens’ Use of Social Media?

August 28, 2023

Social media poses a “profound risk” for young people, according to a recent report issued by U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. The report calls for policymakers to strengthen safety standards for social media and limit access to better protect children and adolescents. A few months ago, Utah became the first state to enact laws restricting social media use for minors. When the laws take effect in March, anyone under 18 will need a parent’s permission to use sites such as TikTok or Instagram, and they’ll be blocked from social media after 10:30 p.m. Arkansas and Texas followed suit with similar laws, and at press time lawmakers in Ohio, New Jersey, and Louisiana were considering similar bills.

The founder of a group that advocates for media policies that protect children and a representative of a digital rights organization square off about whether the government should restrict young people’s use of social media.

Social media has dramatically changed the way we all communicate and connect. It can be fun and often helpful. But it can also hurt us. Social media can pose significant risks to our mental health and well-being, and that is particularly true for young users.

Our research shows that teen girls report feeling “addicted” to TikTok. It’s clear that unfettered access to social media can have long-lasting consequences. History shows us, though, that because tech companies make so much money off of social media, they will not reduce online harms to kids unless lawmakers force them to do so.

Lawmakers have an obligation to step in and protect young people when an industry has failed to do so. In 1968, the U.S. began requiring all new cars to be fitted with seat belts. Since 1986, U.S. toy makers have followed specific safety regulations. In 1992, the U.S. banned the sale of cigarettes to minors. Now it is time for the government to take action on social media.

Young people are more vulnerable to the negative effects of social media because their brains are still developing and they’re still figuring out just who they are. They’re especially susceptible to harmful content that exposes them to drugs, eating disorders, and dangerous viral challenges.

Lawmakers have an obligation to protect young people who use social media.

By regulating social media, the government could limit young people’s exposure to addictive design features, restrict platforms’ ability to track users’ whereabouts and activities online, and offer parental control options, like the ability to turn off privacy-invasive features. This would create a healthier digital ecosystem.

We don’t believe banning teenagers from social media is the solution—especially because we know there are positive aspects to social media that teens should continue to enjoy. But we do think the tech industry can no longer be left to set its own safety standards. The government can and should require them to design better platforms and collect and share less private data, and be held accountable when they fail to do so.

—JAMES P. STEYER

Founder & CEO, Common Sense Media

Nearly 5 billion people use social media to access information and to share ideas. It’s not perfect, but social media helps people of all ages access educational resources, find community, and come together to stand up for what they believe in. It would be wrong for the government to strip young people of that ability.

Restricting young people’s access to social media would also violate their First Amendment rights. The First Amendment doesn’t mean everyone deserves a social media account to say whatever they want—the social media companies make those decisions. But it does mean that government officials can’t make those decisions for them, even for minors. The Supreme Court has said that the government can’t “prevent children from hearing or saying anything without their parents’ prior consent.”

Restricting young people’s access to social media would violate their free-speech rights.

Besides being unconstitutional, laws restricting minors’ access to social media will hurt young people, not help them. Teenagers who can’t use social media will be left out of important societal discussions that are increasingly online. Young people in abusive households will be blocked from using social media to access resources and support.

These kinds of laws hurt adults too. Parents should be able to allow their children to go online without government interference, especially when those kids are old enough to work and drive. Tens of millions of Americans without government-issued ID will be kicked off social media by these laws as well. Forcing social media users to share their IDs, which would be necessary to determine if people are old enough to legally participate, would also stop people from speaking anonymously—another First Amendment right.

Experts agree that using social media isn’t inherently beneficial or harmful to young people; it depends on how it’s used. But we all know that society is better off when everyone has a voice. We should help young people find and use their voices instead of passing laws that silence them.

—JASON KELLEY

Activism Director, Electronic Frontier Foundation