New bipartisan legislation introduced this week by U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, would restrict social media to users aged 13 and older.

“There is no good reason for a nine-year-old to be on Instagram or TikTok. The growing evidence is clear: social media is making kids more depressed, more anxious, and more suicidal. This is an urgent health crisis, and Congress must act,” Schatz said in a statement released on Tuesday.

Schatz co-introduced the Kids Off Social Media Act with fellow commerce committee member Ted Cruz, R-Tex.; Chris Murphy, D-Conn.; and Katie Britt, R-Ala.

The measure updated legislation Schatz introduced last year. In addition to setting a minimum age for use, the bill would prohibit social media companies from feeding algorithmically targeted content to users under 17.

“Every parent with a young child or a teenager either worries about or knows first-hand the real harms and dangers of addictive and anxiety-inducing social media,” said Cruz. “Parents know there’s no good reason for a child to be doom-scrolling or binge-watching reels that glorify unhealthy lifestyles. The Kids Off Social Media Act not only helps these families in crisis, but it also gives teachers control over their classrooms.”

Specifically, the Kids Off Social Media Act would:

• Prohibit children under the age of 13 from creating or maintaining social media accounts, consistent with the current practices of major social media companies;
• Prohibit social media companies from pushing targeted content using algorithms to users under the age of 17;
• Provide the FTC and state attorneys general authority to enforce the provisions of the bill; and
• Follow the existing Children’s Internet Protection Act framework to require schools to block and filter social media on their federally funded networks, which many schools already do.

The lawmakers noted that a survey conducted by Count on Mothers found that over 90% of mothers agree that the minimum age for social media use should be 13. 

Additionally, 87% of mothers agree that social media companies should not be allowed to use personalized recommendation systems to deliver content to children.

Pew Research found similar levels of concern from parents, with 70% worrying that their teens are being exposed to explicit content or wasting too much time on social media. Two-thirds of parents say parenting is harder today than 20 years ago, and many cited social media as a contributing factor.

Lisa Gilbert, executive vice president of the nonprofit consumer advocacy group Public Citizen, called the measure a “commonsense bill.”

“Frequent use of social media can harm vulnerable children and teens as their identities and feelings of self-worth are forming,” Gilbert said. “A straightforward ban for younger children and stopping abusive algorithmic engagement with teens just makes sense.”

Michael Tsai covers local and state politics for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at michael.tsai@charter.com.