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There was a time when childhood meant scraped knees, whispered secrets passed on paper notes, and friendships built in backyards, not behind screens. But today, childhood is something to be monetized. Social media companies have turned growing up into a business model, one built on hijacking kids’ attention and exploiting their vulnerabilities for profit. The Kids Off Social Media Act, introduced by a rare bipartisan coalition, is not just necessary—it is long overdue.
The statistics are not just numbers; they are a flashing red warning light. In 2021, the CDC reported that 57 percent of high school girls and 29 percent of boys felt persistently sad or hopeless. Nearly one-third of high school girls considered suicide. The U.S. Surgeon General has called youth mental health a national crisis, pointing to social media as a significant factor. These are not isolated findings; every major study tells the same story. Social media has become a breeding ground for depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and self-harm, all while Silicon Valley executives continue to push addictive algorithms designed to maximize engagement, regardless of the consequences.
It is no accident that social media is harming kids. These platforms are engineered for addiction. From infinite scrolling to dopamine-reward cycles, Big Tech has built a system that keeps kids hooked, deliberately feeding them content that encourages comparison, self-doubt, and despair. If there were any lingering doubt about their motives, look at the industry’s own behavior—former tech executives have admitted they wouldn’t let their own children use the platforms they created. When the people who built these systems keep their own kids off them, why should we allow them unfettered access to ours?
The Kids Off Social Media Act is a measured, commonsense approach to addressing this crisis. It sets a minimum age of 13 for social media accounts and bans algorithmically targeted content for users under 17. These are not radical restrictions; they are the bare minimum. We already recognize that children need protection in physical spaces—we do not let them gamble, smoke, or drink. Yet, we have somehow accepted that children should be exposed to an unregulated digital world where the consequences for their mental health are just as dangerous.
This legislation is not about government overreach; it is about placing responsibility where it belongs. For years, Big Tech has told parents that it is their job alone to monitor what their kids see online. But the reality is, these platforms are designed to outmaneuver parents. They create content pipelines that bypass parental controls, using algorithms that relentlessly push harmful material directly into children’s feeds. The idea that parents can fight this on their own is absurd. The digital battlefield is rigged, and the corporations designing these systems know it.
I’m not one to call for government intervention lightly, but when an industry refuses to police itself and profits off the harm of children, guardrails are not just reasonable—they are essential.
That is why this bipartisan effort matters. Senators Katie Britt and Brian Schatz, Ted Cruz and Chris Murphy, politicians who agree on almost nothing, have found common ground on one truth: kids are being exploited, and Congress must act. The fact that such a broad coalition is backing this bill should tell us something—this is not a partisan issue. It is not about left versus right. It is about whether we are willing to protect children or whether we will continue to let corporations treat them as disposable revenue streams.
Of course, Silicon Valley will object. We will hear the usual arguments—concerns about “free speech,” claims that kids need “digital literacy,” and the ever-present excuse that these companies simply provide a “platform” and cannot be held responsible for what happens on it. But we should not fall for this deception. The reality is that these companies know exactly what they are doing. They have built a system that preys on children, and they have fought every attempt at regulation because it threatens their profit margins.
The overwhelming majority of parents want action. A survey by Count on Mothers found that 90 percent support a minimum social media age of 13, and 87 percent oppose personalized algorithms targeting children. But public support means nothing without follow-through. Congress must pass the Kids Off Social Media Act—not next year, not in a few years, but now. Every day we delay, another child falls deeper into the trap Big Tech has set for them.
In an imperfect world, this will be an imperfect solution. As Otto von Bismarck wisely noted, “Politics is the art of the possible, the attainable—the art of the next best.” If we refuse to act, let us be honest about what that means. It means we have chosen to stand with social media executives over struggling parents. It means we have decided that corporate profits matter more than children’s lives. That is the real choice before us. And for once, Washington seems poised to take a reasonable step toward protecting our children.. Now, they just need to finish the job.
