US Lawmaker Suggests Social Media Ban For Children Under The Age Of 16 - Press Release

US Lawmaker Suggests Social Media Ban for Children Under the Age of 16 - Press Release

US House Republican representative Chris Stewart introduced legislation on Thursday to ban the use of social media by kids younger than 16 years old

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 02nd February, 2023) US House Republican representative Chris Stewart introduced legislation on Thursday to ban the use of social media by kids younger than 16 years old.

"Chris Stewart (R-UT) introduced the Social Media Child Protection Act, which would make it unlawful for social media platforms to provide access to children under the age of 16," the statement read.

The major reason for the ban is the high volume of teen and adolescent depression, anxiety, and suicide, which has risen to unprecedented levels since the emergence of social media, it added.

"Our nation's young people are facing an unprecedented mental health crisis," Stewart said. "More than 40 percent of teenagers say that they struggle with feelings of sadness or hopelessness, and more than half of parents express concern over their children's mental well-being. There has never been a generation this depressed, anxious, and suicidal - it's our responsibility to protect them from the root cause: social media."

The lawmaker expressed his conviction that social media has inflicted undeniable damage on the lives of young generations. He also mentioned that the time for taking action has already passed.

The new legislation requires social media platforms to verify the age of their users by obtaining identification cards or other documents. The bill also directs social media platforms to establish and maintain reasonable procedures to protect the confidentiality, security, and integrity of personal information collected from users and perspective users.�