Australia Banned Social Media for Kids—Should the United States?

On December 9, Australia implemented a groundbreaking policy prohibiting individuals under 16 from accessing social media applications such as TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat. This unprecedented social media ban has disrupted adolescents and prompted discussions about the potential benefits of a similar approach in the United States.

Almost every teenager in America is on social media now. The 2024 National Academies report confirmed what parents already suspected: Nearly 100 percent of adolescents have at least one account. And the research keeps piling up about what that's doing to them. Poor sleep. More anxiety. Depression rates are climbing; teens stay up until 2 a.m. and then wonder why they feel exhausted the next day. Middle schoolers compare themselves to filtered, photoshopped versions of reality and somehow expect to measure up.

Teen mental health concerns aren’t occurring in a vacuum; their social media shapes them. Early

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