UNCG expert weighs in on potential social media ban for kids

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Some North Carolina lawmakers want to ban children younger than 14 from using social media. A new proposal in the State House would also require children 14 and 15 to get permission from their parents.

The bill’s text says its purpose is to protect minors from ‘harmful social media.’ Dr. Michaeline Jensen, a psychology professor at UNC-Greensboro, worries an outright ban may not be effective.

Jensen said social media is full of traps for kids, but it also has its benefits. Blocking kids out completely keeps them from experiencing those perks, according to the professor.

“They can find community,” Jensen said. “They can find health resources. They can find information.”

Jensen believes the bill won’t have its intended effect. She said it’s encouraging to see lawmakers prioritize mental health, but the proposal likely won’t solve the problem as effectively as some may hope.

“There isn’t a quick fix, to be frank,” Jensen said. “It’s gonna require a lot of legislation that does things like ask platforms to de-platform things like hate speech.”

Jensen also works as a clinical psychologist. She said that social media exposes children to things like cyberbullying and makes them more likely to body shame themselves.

Experts agree that before any child goes on social media, parents need to have a conversation with them. Jensen supports social media for children, as long as there’s a structure and system in place. 

“I don’t think that delaying the onset is the trick here,” Jensen said. “I think that the important thing for young people is that when they enter into online environments and social media platforms, whatever that age may be, it needs to be done in a scaffolded and supported and, hopefully, gradual way.”

Jensen hopes parents and teachers work with children to make sure they have some degree of digital literacy before they go online. Any added knowledge would help prevent them from ending up in social media pitfalls.

The bill is currently in a House committee, so it’s not clear when it could get a vote. If the bill were to pass, social media platforms would have 30 days to remove all children under 14 from their sites. Moving forward, the apps would need a third-party verification method to make sure no child sneaks their way onto social media.