I shared the idea with a school teacher about banning children 15 and under from social media. Like many others across the country, this local teacher believes kids should wait before joining platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, or any other social media.
A new survey of 2,000 Americans found nearly two-thirds — 62% — believe kids 15 and under shouldn’t be allowed on social media at all. That’s no longer a fringe opinion. It’s close to a national consensus, and it’s showing up in poll after poll this year, from Talker Research to Pew to Fox News, all landing in roughly the same range.
Where people split is on how to actually enforce it.
Ban It Nationwide, or Leave It to Families?
Thirty-five percent of respondents want a full, nationwide ban — a hard age cutoff no minor under 16 could get around, no matter which state they live in. Another 27% agree kids shouldn’t be on these platforms young, but think parents should still get the final say rather than the federal government. Seventeen percent see it as purely a family decision, with no legislation needed. Just 11% think kids should be free to use social media whenever they want.
That divide over enforcement matters. Support for restricting access is nearly universal. Trust in Washington, D.C., to run that restriction well is much thinner — only 4% of respondents said the government should be responsible for keeping kids safe online.
Who Parents Actually Trust With This
Instead, 55% still see it as the parents’ job to manage what their kids see and do online, not a law, not a tech company. Only 10% think social media platforms themselves should carry that responsibility.
For families across the Wenatchee Valley already navigating this at home — the constant negotiation over screen time, the debates about which app is “fine” and which one isn’t — this data confirms what most parents already sense. Nearly everyone agrees young teens shouldn’t be scrolling unsupervised. Almost nobody agrees on who should stop it.
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