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Should apps still require users to be at least 13 years old, or should the age be raised?
The Meta logo at its corporate headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif., on Nov. 1, 2021. Jim Wilson/The New York Times
Massachusetts, along with New York, Vermont, and 30 other states, are suing Meta Platforms, Inc., or Meta. The 33 states claim the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms is harming the mental health of young people and designing its platforms to be addictive to children.
“Kids and teenagers are suffering from record levels of poor mental health and social media companies like Meta are to blame,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James in a statement to the Associated Press. “Meta has profited from children’s pain by intentionally designing its platforms with manipulative features that make children addicted to their platforms while lowering their self-esteem.”
Social media use is a common occurrence for teenagers in the United States, as many apps, such as Instagram and Facebook, allow those 13 years old or older to create an account. Additionally, in a 2022 Pew Research Center study, 95% of teens reported using YouTube in the past, and 54% said it would be “at least somewhat hard to give it up” social media.
National concerns over social media platforms have previously occurred this year — in March, TikTok’s CEO Shou Zi Chew testified before Congress regarding security concerns as a potential ban of the video app loomed.
Following the hearing in March, we polled Boston.com readers who voted in favor of a TikTok ban, citing both security concerns, as well as the addictive nature of social media for young people in general.
In May, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy shared an advisory that excessive social media use can be a “profound risk” for the mental health and well-being of children and teenagers, and called for “immediate action” from policymakers and tech companies.
Following the recent federal lawsuit filed by several states, we’d like to know: How old should you be to join social media? Should apps still require users to be at least 13 years old, or should the age be raised? Share your thoughts by filling out the survey below or sending an e-mail to [email protected], and your response may appear in a future Boston.com article.
How old should you be to join social media?
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