North Carolina Children May Face Social Media Ban if New Bill is Enacted

A new bill in North Carolina proposes banning children under 14 from using social media platforms. The proposed law, called House Bill 301, was introduced this week and is designed to address growing concerns about how social media affects the mental health of young people. The lawmakers behind the bill say its purpose is to shield children from the harmful effects of using social media. Representative Neal Jackson, one of the bill’s sponsors, pointed to issues like anxiety and rising suicide rates among kids as reasons why this kind of intervention is urgently needed.

Supporters of the bill equate the restrictions to existing age-related regulations, suggesting that similar measures are essential for child protection. “We have all kinds of things that we prevent our kids from doing, they can’t drink until they’re 21, they can’t drive until they’re 16, why do we do that? We do that to protect them,” said Representative Jeff Zenger. “This is looking out for their best interest.”

If the bill becomes law, it would make it illegal for children under 14 to create social media accounts. Social media companies would also be required to delete any accounts already being used by kids in that age group. Lawmakers believe that social media platforms will follow these rules, as they have done in other states with similar laws. “Platforms are good about abiding to the law,” Jackson noted.

For teenagers aged 14 and 15, the bill would require parental permission to use social media. Supporters of the bill argue that reducing social media access for younger children could help improve their mental health and school performance. Joseph Blackholm, a representative from the NC Values Coalition, explained that social media algorithms are damaging children’s ability to focus and think deeply. “Their brains are literally being rewired,” he said.

Critics of children’s social media use often argue that kids would benefit more from spending time outdoors and engaging in traditional activities instead of being on their phones. Representative Jackson added, “Kids under 14 would be so much better off if they were out in the woods hunting rabbits and on the ball field playing softball and baseball and in the creek catching salamanders than playing on their phones on social media.”

House Bill 301 has been sent to another committee for further review. If it passes, this law could set an important example for other states as they consider the effects of social media on young people.