Screen time, social media, and keeping kids safe online.
The UK government has proposed a midnight social media curfew and restrictions on infinite scrolling for teens aged 16-17, while the EU issues new recommendations for protecting children under 13 on platforms. Meanwhile, digital safety experts emphasize the importance of transparent monitoring tools and open communication with teens about online risks.
A major new study reveals that over half of social media's child safety features don't work as advertised, with teens able to bypass protections and discover harmful content. Meanwhile, the U.S. House passed comprehensive children's online safety legislation, though privacy advocates raise concerns about age verification. A British Columbia mother has renewed calls for regulation of self-harm content targeting minors.
Britain announced a sweeping ban on social media for under-16s, making it the strictest policy globally. Meanwhile, new research confirms that excessive screen time correlates with mental health risks, with one study showing a 61% higher depression risk for children spending 4+ hours daily on devices. The EU is also preparing new child safety protections in response to mounting concerns.
Canada is moving toward banning social media for under-16s, while Apple expands parental controls and the UK promises age-assurance measures for social platforms. Governments worldwide are tightening digital safety rules as tech companies face mounting legal pressure over child protection.
Meta has rolled out sweeping new safety features for teen accounts worldwide, automatically enforcing stricter privacy controls and content restrictions across Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger. The expansion comes after legal pressure on the company and reflects a broader shift toward making platforms safer "by design" rather than relying on age bans, according to UN guidance released this week.
British doctors are sounding alarms over social media's dangers to children, comparing its health risks to smoking. Meanwhile, parents are increasingly concerned about their kids' online safety more than their physical health. The U.S. Surgeon General has issued a formal advisory on excessive screen time, warning of serious mental health consequences.
A new U.S. advisory has flagged screen time risks for kids and teens as a public health concern, while Instagram rolls out expanded Teen Account safety features in the UAE under new child digital safety law. Meanwhile, UK Parliament's House of Commons Library has updated its research briefing on proposals to ban social media for children, weighing protective benefits against potential unintended consequences.
The debate over whether and how to ban social media for under-16s is intensifying globally, with experts and teens themselves divided on the issue. Meta is rolling out new parental controls for Instagram amid ongoing court scrutiny, while courts across the U.S. continue to examine platform responsibility. Meanwhile, parents are being urged not to wait for legal outcomes before acting to protect their children online.
New Mexico prosecutors this week escalated their landmark trial against Meta, seeking sweeping algorithmic restrictions to protect children — marking one of the most aggressive state-level legal challenges yet to a major platform. Meanwhile, a Michigan middle school's social media threat prompted renewed calls for parent-child conversations about online safety, and a global map of teen social media bans shows more countries following Australia's lead, even as compliance remains elusive.
The EU charged Meta over failures to protect children under 13 on Facebook and Instagram, marking a major escalation in platform accountability. Meanwhile, new data shows Australia's under-16 social media ban is struggling: over 60% of affected teens are still accessing banned platforms using workarounds like face masks and parents' IDs. A new research tool called the Comprehensive Assessment of Social Media Use (CASM) was just validated, giving researchers better ways to study how online behaviors affect youth mental health.
This week, governments on both sides of the Atlantic moved aggressively to hold social media platforms accountable for children's safety: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer summoned executives from Meta, Google, and other tech giants, while the EU announced its age verification app is ready to deploy. Meanwhile, a new Pew Research Center report published April 15 reveals how teens actually experience TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat — with findings that complicate simple narratives about harm.
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