A majority of adults in the US support banning social media for kids under the age of 16, according to a new survey.
A Pew Research Center poll of nearly 10,000 adults across the US found that 56% — or roughly six-in-ten — support banning minors from using social media sites until they turn 16.
The vast majority of Americans also supported policies to enforce parental consent, age verification and time limits on minors’ access to social media, according to the survey.
Of the 9,750 adults surveyed between May 26 and June 1, only 21% opposed a social media ban for those under 16, with 23% of respondents saying they weren’t sure of their opinion on the topic.
Overwhelming support for the ban was seen across adults of all ages and regardless of whether the respondent was a parent to a child below the age of 16 — though parents of young kids were more in favor.
Support for the ban also crossed political demographics, with the majority of both Democratic and Republican respondents voting in favor of it.
Even more Americans support less drastic measures than a full-out ban. The survey found that 85% said they support parental consent for minors to create social media accounts, 78% support age verification on the platforms and another 78% support time limits for minors.
In the US, several states have tried to create stricter guidelines around teen social media use, including a resolution last year to require age verification for social media in Louisiana.
The law, which would have required age verification for users under 16, was struck down by a judge last December.
A similar bill was put forth in Texas to ban social media platforms for anyone under 18, but the proposal failed in the State Senate.
California is the latest state to make the push with a bipartisan bill, AB-1709, requiring large social media companies to come up with an alternative, less addictive service for underage users.
The proposal would effectively yank minors under 16 off platforms unless the companies overhaul how their apps work.
Such bans have already rolled out elsewhere in the world, including the UK, where parliament announced a pilot program of social media bans, curfews and app time limits in March.
Social media has a significant impact on youths’ mental health and well-being, according to experts.
“About 95% of youth are estimated to be on social media,” child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr. Jesse Hinckley said, noting that one study found “that around three hours or more of social media exposure a day doubles the risk of having some sort of mental health problem.”
