Do you use TikTok, Instagram, or Snapchat?  If you are under 13, your access to these social media platforms might be restricted soon.

The US government is considering a bill that will restrict social media access.  This bill is a bipartisan bill, meaning it is backed by both Democrats and Republicans. It was created by a group of 4 senators, which was started by Democrat Senator Brian Schartz from Hawaii. Then Republican senator Tom Cotton from Arkansas and Senator Katie Britt from Alabma joined along with Democratic Senator Chris Murphy from Connecticut. The bill is named The Protecting Kids On Social Media Act. The bill states that the minimum age for those with an account of social media is 13 and that the account must be created by parents, who have a valid ID. Those under 13 are still allowed to use open social media platforms but will not be able to use those that require them to make an account, like TikTok, Instagram, and SnapChat. The bill also bans social media platforms to use algorithms to suggest content to children and teens. 

There is growing concern that  social media is contributing to a mental health crisis in American youth. Social media use can disrupt sleep, increase bullying, cause inappropriate peer pressure and unrealistic self-image. A 2016 study that surveyed  450 teens found that teens with greater social media use, including nighttime use, had heightened anxiety and depression. Senator Cotton argues that teens also think the ban on social media is positive. 

“When I talk to the kids that hang around my house, they know that they’re not being protected and looked after,” he says. “They know that sometimes these sites are sending them into places where they shouldn’t be.”

Senator Schartz believes that social media is not protected by the First Amendment, which protects free speech including the right to read or see things others may not like. 

He says, “The idea that an algorithm has some sort of First Amendment right to get into your kid’s brain is preposterous and the idea that a 13-year-old has some First Amendment right to have an algorithm shove upsetting content down their throat is also preposterous.”

However, there are groups who disagree with the bill. Carol Szabo from NetChoice (a lobby group for  for media giants like Meta, TikTok and Google) says, “Being a parent in the twenty-first century is hard, but inserting the government between parents and their teens is the wrong approach.¨ Social media can support self expression, finding friends with similar interests and educating teens about the world. 

The CEO of Chamber of Progress (a group that backs advancement and equality in technology), Adam Kovacevich says, "We should listen to teens, who are saying that social media is mostly playing a positive role in their lives.” 

There is clearly a lot of debate on this topic. But it seems likely that some sort of regulation will be put in place in the near future.  The bill is projected to move through the majority Democratic Senate and then the Republican controlled House.  Soon, you might need to talk with your friends in real life, rather than looking at your phone screen.

Works Cited

Jalonick, Mary Clare. “Ban social media for kids? Fed-up parents in Senate say yes.” AP News, 4 May 2023, https://apnews.com/article/senators-parents-social-media-regulation-199b50df19e0dc11f1fc9e5b33e2b8c5. Accessed 9 October 2023.

Jones, Dustin. “Kids under 13 would be barred from social media under bipartisan Senate bill.” NPR, 28 April 2023, https://www.npr.org/2023/04/28/1172098173/social-media-kids-senate-bill. Accessed 9 October 2023.

Mayo Clinic Staff. “Teens and social media use: What's the impact?” Mayo Clinic, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/tween-and-teen-health/in-depth/teens-and-social-media-use/art-20474437. Accessed 9 October 2023.