A new bill introduced by Sen. Josh Hawley will ban children from social media. Child experts say it’s about time.
Sen. Hawley, of Missouri, cites the rising suicide rate among children in America as his motive for the bill.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports an alarming 60% rise in suicide among teenage girls. Around 1 in 3 high school girls in the U.S. have seriously considered attempting suicide, according to CDC data.
A new survey showed high school girls felt persistently sad or hopeless after spending time on social media.
Hawley seeks to protect children and teens by requiring social media companies to block anyone age 16 and younger from using their platforms.
“Children suffer every day from the effects of social media. At best, Big Tech companies are neglecting our children’s health and monetizing their personal information,” Hawley said in a statement to The Christian Post. “At worst, they are complicit in their exploitation and manipulation. It’s time to give parents the weapons they need to strike back.”
He continued: “That starts with an age restriction for social media. And it’s long past time for well-funded research on the scale of the problem. We must set the precedent that these companies can no longer take advantage of our children.”
