Over Half of US Adults Support Social Media Ban for Under 16s
A Pew Research Center survey reveals 56% of US adults favor a ban on social media for individuals under 16. Support rises to 65% among parents with children under 16.
More than half of U.S. adults, 56 percent, support prohibiting social media use for individuals under the age of 16. Among parents with children under 16, this support increases to 65 percent, according to a recent large-scale survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, as reported by 9To5Mac.
The findings indicate a broad consensus across political divides, with majorities of both Democratic and Republican supporters favoring the ban. Only 21 percent of respondents explicitly opposed restricting social media access for those under 16.
The survey also explored other potential regulations. Eighty-five percent of participants believe social media platforms should require parental consent before allowing minors to create accounts. Additionally, 78 percent support age verification for social media use, and an equal percentage favor limiting daily usage time for minors.
Growing concerns about the potential negative impacts of social media on the mental health of children and adolescents are driving international regulatory discussions. Countries such as Australia, the United Kingdom, and Denmark are already implementing or planning measures to restrict social media access for minors.
The Pew Research Center survey collected responses from 9,750 participants, yielding a margin of error of ±1.4 percent, which indicates a high level of reliability for the results.