Everyone knows social media is hurting children: When will policymakers act in their defence?

In late November, court filings were unsealed that include salacious details, such as Meta requiring more than 17 human trafficking attempts before flagging an account, something verified by multiple company sources.

The plaintiffs are more than 1,800 parents, school districts, teachers, states and attorneys general. They argue that the parent companies behind Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube “relentlessly pursued a strategy of growth at all costs, recklessly ignoring the impact of their products on children’s mental and physical health.”

Tell me with a straight face that this isn’t a problem. That is what a Meta spokesperson has said: “We strongly disagree with these allegations, which rely on cherry-picked quotes and misinformed opinions in an attempt to present a deliberately misleading picture.”

But this latest lawsuit is far from a one-off and evidence is piling up of the negative impact of online platforms on kids.

Most parents think there are obvious reforms that would keep kids safe. But only a handful of state legislatures have forced social media companies to implement age limits or tools mandating parental consent. Another handful have passed laws that have been paused due to court challenges by the tech industry.

There’s bipartisan legislation in US Congress that involves giving parents more control and enacting age limits and data protection for minors. But what will finally push these bills toward passage? That remains to be seen.

Maybe Congress is hesitating because members would rather have these technologies than not. The lines between Big Tech and Big Politics have blurred. Former US president Barack Obama was the first to wield social media to his electoral benefit. President Donald Trump started his own social media company and X owner Elon Musk did a stint in the White House.

With half of Americans now getting at least some of their political news on social media, politicians’ interests are aligned with those of platforms, not users.

Moreover, social media parent companies supply much of America’s economic growth with their investments in artificial intelligence (AI). Without them, the US economy might be much weaker and politician do not want that on their watch.

And just in case that’s not enough, American tech companies have enmeshed themselves in Washington with massive lobbying efforts. It’s as if they saw the backlash coming. Last year, they spent a record $86 million on Washington lobbying; a 25% increase from 2023. Meta spends more than the rest.

We can’t only blame tech companies and politicians, of course. Parents want a peaceful dinnertime. Enter the screen. Teachers want a moment to catch up on district emails. Enter the screen. Babysitters want to use their phones to text while they finish their homework. Enter the screen. And the kids themselves want to zone out after a busy day of school and soccer practice.

Social media has a lot to offer; maybe that has blinded us to its costs. But those costs are too obvious to continue to ignore, especially for kids.

Pew Research Center found that nearly 100% of American teens have a smartphone and roughly half say they are online “constantly.” Anxiety and depression rates have soared as the ability to concentrate has plummeted along with literacy rates. There’s access to violent and explicit content and grooming by predatory adults. According to an EPPC study, nearly 1 in 3 teen girls have been approached by adults asking for nudes on social media.

Social media apps are not inert tools. They know—and shape—our desires. Tech founders have turned our kids into their customers and then looked the other way when those child-customers became the product. There’s no redo option for our kids. They will not get a second childhood. And although there are steps parents can take to prevent future damage, it’s time for externally imposed limits too.

I’m saying this from the centre-right. I’m no fan of the progressive nanny state. I am glad to live in a country where free speech is protected. In general, I believe that people should have the freedom to live the lives that they want with minimal government intervention, except to support and protect the most vulnerable. But that vulnerable group includes children.

We don’t need more studies or court filings to understand social media’s harms to our kids. What we need is the political will to do something about it. ©Bloomberg

The author is a columnist, podcast host, and consultant.