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It’s a problem almost as old as the Internet itself: How do we keep kids safe when they’re online? The solution is for the government to ban social media use during children’s developmental years, says a growing campaign. A small majority of American adults seem to agree with this view.
New national poll from Pew Research Center A study published July 1 found that 56% of US adults say they would support a social media ban for teens under 16. This number rises to 65% among parents of children under the age of 18.
New data provides fuel for major policy drives around the world to restrict children and teens’ access to social media platforms. Australia It enforces the current social media ban for under-16s, passed in late 2025, and both UK Spain is bringing new legislation through parliament to implement similar restrictions, likely to come into force next year.
In the United States, more than a dozen states have imposed social media restrictions for young people, and hundreds of bills are now being debated. At the national level. Juries in historical cases in New Mexico and ca She agreed with the plaintiffs that social media giants Meta and Google were exploitative and harmful to young people.
A battle with no end in sight
Over the past two decades, there have been many proposed solutions for children’s online safety. There is no widespread agreement among experts.
The ban is one of the most extreme measures proposed. It has sparked privacy advocates and young activists Constant fears These bans could further isolate vulnerable groups such as LGBTQ+ youth and restrict teens’ right to freedom of expression.
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Support for other measures to keep children’s social media use under control is “more widespread today than it will be in 2023,” Pew wrote. A large majority (85%) say they would support a requirement that teens obtain parental consent before creating a social media account.
Many (78%) believe people should be required to verify their age before browsing social feeds. Time limits, one of the most popular strategies for curbing teens’ screen time, also had strong support at 78%.
Although social media platforms have offered a plethora of tools, from age verification to parental controls, they have not been considered reliable or effective. New search It was published this week by technology watchdog groups It found that more than half of the security features failed on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube.
Getting around child safety restrictions isn’t complicated either. According to a recent report by the UK-based non-profit Internet Matters, A third of UK children bypass age verification procedures Using VPNs and simple tactics like drawing on facial hair.
American adults who do not support social media bans for teens are split between opposed (21%) and unsure (23%). It’s an issue that crosses party lines: 59% of Republicans and 54% of Democrats support the ban. The percentage of opposition to this is lower from each party, 19% for Republicans and 23% for Democrats.
