Australian social media ban for teens sparks renewed calls for US action

After Australian teens were booted from social media this week following a nationwide social media ban for anyone in the country under the age of 16, several lawmakers and other political figures have called on the United States to do something similar.

congress has passed some public online safety laws, such as limits on the collection of minors’ information through social media platforms, but to date, Congress has not enacted any laws that would change who can use social media platforms, or how apps are designed for minors.

“I imagine it’s opposition to the tech industry,” said Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y. “I see social media as a disaster for the mental health of the next generation, and I feel that society is conducting an unprecedented experiment on the psyche of young Americans.”

Texas family sues CHARACTER.AI after chatbot encouraged autistic son to hurt his parents and himself

Torres added that he believes reform is needed, but also acknowledged that this is a “complex area” in light of the First Amendment.

“I think more action by Congress would be wise,” Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., told Fox News Digital when asked why he thought Congress had not passed laws that would better protect children on social media. “Obviously we are a country that values ​​freedom and so a lot of people feel that it will either be a power best exercised by the state, or a power best exercised by parents.”

However, Johnson said he believes “we need to hold some of these platforms accountable,” noting that “they have technological tools they can easily use to keep kids safe.”

After Australia passed a social media ban for children under 16, both Republicans and Democrats came out to urge the United States to enact better safety measures for children on social media. Those numbers included former President Barack Obama’s chief of staff while he was in office, Rahm Emanuel, Sen. Katie Britt, R-Alabama, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii.

Protecting children from AI chatbots: What the gatekeeping law means

Rahm Emanuel, the former mayor of Chicago and former chief of staff to Barack Obama, said the United States should emulate measures taken by Australia to protect children from social media. (Reuters/Al Drago)

Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., told Fox News Digital that one reason Congress has held off on passing legislation to protect children on social media is because “a lot of people don’t know” about the risks.

“I think it’s gotten worse,” Norman said regarding the dangers of social media for children. “We must have a tooth and we must track down something that is destroying our children.”

However, some Republicans have also grown tired of the push to regulate children’s social media, especially efforts to set an age limit for platforms. Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colorado, told Fox News Digital that she would likely not support a “blanket ban.”

Rep. Lauren Boebert, Republican of Colorado, said she was tired of “blanket bans” that prevent children from accessing social media, as Australia has done. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Click here to download the FOX NEWS app

“I’m still a capitalist, there is a federal system and we have freedom here,” Boyert said. “But we have a lot of good legislation for solutions, but unfortunately, leadership is prioritizing things that the American people are not prioritizing, and I think it’s time for the U.S. Chamber to read so we can pass good legislation.”