California Governor Gavin Newsom has voiced support for banning social media access for younger teenagers, using his own daughter’s behavior and that of her friends as a case in point for the necessity of such measures.
“Recently, at my daughter’s birthday party, I noticed something alarming,” Newsom shared on Thursday. “Among her friends, there were seven of them, all glued to their phones, barely interacting with one another.”
He expressed concern over what he perceives as a growing crisis among today’s youth. “We’re dealing with a generation that’s increasingly anxious, less independent, and more stressed, and it’s time we tackle this issue head-on,” he stated.
In a conversation with Politico, Newsom confirmed his backing for “age-gating” policies, which would prevent teens under the age of 16 from creating social media accounts.
This comes as a bipartisan coalition of California lawmakers recently proposed a bill aimed at setting minimum age requirements for social media users, although the specific age limit remains undefined.
Newsom pointed to other nations like Spain that are moving towards similar regulations. Australia, for instance, has already implemented a law prohibiting children under 16 from having social media accounts.
“I think it’s long overdue that we’re having the debate we’re having now in the legislature, and I’m very grateful the legislature is taking this very seriously,” he said.
Newsom has four children between the ages of 10 and 16 and has shared concerns about children and technology before.
Last year he signed more than a dozen bills related to social media and AI use — including adding social media warning labels, higher penalties for “deepfake” pornography and more.
Meanwhile, fears of social media addiction in youngsters are playing out in the courts.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg was grilled Wednesday about social media’s impact on youth at a landmark trial in Los Angeles, where he defended “beauty filters” and other features that critics say can harm children’s wellbeing.
The 20-year-old plaintiff, known by her initials KGM, claimed she became addicted to social media as a child — leading to depression and suicidal thoughts.
Meta has denied the allegations that the social media platforms were designed to be addictive.
Asked about Instagram, which bans users under 13, Zuckerberg said the company’s policy is clear but enforcement is “difficult.”
“I generally think that there are a set of people, potentially a meaningful number of people who lie about their age in order to use our services. There’s a separate and very important question about enforcement, and it’s very difficult,” he said.
Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri testified last week, and argued that problematic use of technology is not the same as “clinical addiction.”
