NJ Commission Recommends Restricting Kids' Social Media Access
A New Jersey commission recommended that social media companies restrict access to users younger than 16, among other moves to address mental health issues associated with the platforms. Gov. Phil Murphy (D) on Monday announced the release of the report by the New Jersey Commission on the Effects of Social Media Usage.
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“While social media offers opportunities for connection and expression, it also poses serious risks, from cyberbullying and addictive use patterns to privacy threats, sleep disruption, and mental health decline,” said an executive summary.
The commission recommended that the New Jersey legislature pass a bill (S-1982) that would prohibit social media companies from allowing New Jersey residents younger than 18 to create accounts without parental consent. Legislators should also consider making laws to address possibly harmful social media features and require transparency and reporting by social media companies, the commission said.
In addition, New Jersey should encourage federal lawmakers to pass the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act and the Kids Online Safety Act, the commission said.
New Jersey Education Commissioner Kevin Dehmer said there's more to be done. “Building off of this work, we must continue to review new research in light of the recommendations presented in this report to address the pressing issue of health and academic impacts of social media use on our students.”
The social media commission’s co-chairs, Pearl Gabel and Charles Gelinas, added in a joint statement: “Social media has rewired childhood, and the stakes could not be higher.”