Social media can be quite perplexing. Most Americans engage with it, yet many, or perhaps even most, believe it’s having a detrimental effect on society. Initially, my instinct as a Reagan conservative was to point fingers at parents. After all, they should be the ones safeguarding their children online, right? But then I started to think that there’s a lot more to consider than just that typical libertarian viewpoint.
Parents certainly have a duty to guide their children, but it’s not done in isolation. Families are shaped by the larger context around them. Social media has woven itself into the fabric of childhood. According to a report from the US Surgeon General, 95% of teenagers and about 40% of younger children, aged 8 to 12, are using these platforms. Even when parents attempt to restrict access, nearly 80% of kids still find a way to engage with social media.
This creates a rather troubling situation for children today. On one hand, social media and smartphones promise connection; yet, they often lead to social isolation. Opportunities for genuine, face-to-face interaction dwindle, leaving online engagements as substitutes. A striking statistic shows that less than half of high school seniors even go on dates anymore.
In this environment, which, interestingly, hasn’t been created solely by parents or children, kids find themselves in a lose-lose scenario. They either engage with social media—and miss out on meaningful offline interactions—or they avoid it and risk greater isolation.
It seems lawmakers are starting to come around to the idea that simply blaming parents isn’t the solution. At least 19 states have enacted laws aimed at empowering parents to better control their children’s social media usage. That feels like a vital first step, I think.
The next step is about making sure social media users are well-informed. Free markets thrive when consumers are educated about the products they use. Just like any other product, social media should have transparent information regarding its risks and benefits. Companies ought to inform parents about the potential dangers their platforms pose to children.
For instance:
- A study from Brigham Young University highlighted that too much social media use can significantly raise the risk of suicide, especially among young girls.
- Research from Stanford University showed that social media is a major conduit for child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
- A former Facebook safety engineer testified that one in eight children aged 13 to 15 experiences unwanted sexual advances weekly on social media.
While not every child is deeply affected, it’s clear that millions are facing negative consequences. Psychologist and social media authority Jonathan Haidt compiled an extensive body of research demonstrating how social media harms children, including escalating feelings of loneliness and anxiety, risky behaviors, diminished empathic ability, and reduced attention spans.
Companies have long been held legally accountable for lying to consumers about their products. A notable case involved New Mexico’s attorney general suing Meta for misleading consumers, which resulted in a landmark $375 million verdict.
Social media is so entrenched that even well-informed parents may allow their children to use it. Addressing the next challenge entails holding these companies accountable for promoting addictive products that jeopardize children’s safety. A California jury recently ruled that Google and Meta’s platforms did indeed harm a young girl, awarding her $6 million in damages.
Mississippi lawmakers are expected to implement principles that reflect these concerns in the 2026 legislative session. The new law will instruct the Department of Education to create a curriculum aimed at educating students in grades 6 to 12 about social media’s risks and benefits. Additionally, it holds social media companies liable for misleading parents and children about the dangers associated with their platforms. Offenders could face civil penalties of $10,000 per occurrence.
What’s more, the Mississippi legislation deems the addictive nature of social media platforms, which children under 18 find themselves hooked on, as defective products. This allows affected parents to pursue legal action under the state’s product liability laws. Finally, platforms that repeatedly expose minors to illegal pornography may also be subject to lawsuits from parents.
These big tech firms churn out potentially dangerous social media products, yet when children are harmed, their defense often shifts to blaming the parents while invoking the First Amendment. It’s crucial to remember that the First Amendment protects open dialogue, not a free pass for companies to mislead consumers and distribute harmful products.
It’s high time that lawmakers recognize social media as a significant public health crisis that can’t be tackled by parents alone. State legislators must start paying attention to their constituents.
Parents need support. By following examples like the law passed in Mississippi, state legislatures can truly aid in protecting children without undermining the First Amendment.
