On top of these lawsuits, social media platforms are facing a loss of business as bans for minors<\/a> are accelerating and spreading worldwide. Australia was one of the first<\/a> with a ban on kids under 16 on social media starting in December 2025, followed soon after by the U.K.<\/a> with a similar prohibition.<\/p>\n The current list of countries looking to ban minors from these platforms tops more than 20<\/a>, from Greece to the United Arab Emirates to Canada. The proposed and enacted bans around the world vary in terms of age restriction<\/a>, parental consent rules and age verification methods<\/a>. Different countries are looking at restricting different platforms, but most include a mix of Snapchat, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X.<\/p>\n These bans aren\u2019t necessarily for mental health reasons only<\/a> \u2013 some are motivated by political concerns about foreign-owned platforms, and others aim to protect young people\u2019s privacy. But nearly every government banning social media platforms for young people mentions their mental health as a reason<\/a>.<\/p>\n The question is, are these bans the solution to the mental health problems young people are facing<\/a>? I research digital media and marketing<\/a> and measure the impact of new technologies, and I\u2019m skeptical about whether prohibiting access to these platforms will actually improve young people\u2019s mental health.<\/p>\n Mental health concerns<\/p>\n Since Jonathan Haidt\u2019s 2024 book \u201cThe Anxious Generation<\/a>\u201d critics of social media have increasingly focused on young people\u2019s mental health. Haidt argues that social media disrupts kids\u2019 social and neurological development, contributing to rising anxiety and depression through sleep loss<\/a>, fragmented attention, addiction<\/a>, loneliness, social comparison and perfectionism<\/a>.<\/p>\n A 2026 study found that young people between 14 and 20 are more than 100% more likely to experience mental illness<\/a> than 14- to 20-year-olds 50 years ago.<\/p>\n Increased use of social media and screen time is compounding an already precarious time for minors. In 2021 it was estimated that 20.5% of young people experienced elevated symptoms of anxiety<\/a>, and 25.2% of youth reported elevated symptoms of depression globally. <\/p>\n Many factors contribute to this, including better screening and awareness of kids\u2019 mental health problems<\/a>, as well as societal disruptions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic<\/a>. As the world sheltered in place and moved online for work, school and social interactions, there was an increase in isolation and loneliness<\/a>.<\/p>\n Not all bad<\/p>\n In light of these concerns, some researchers argue<\/a> that bans on social media platforms are like putting an age restriction on buying alcohol or cigarettes.<\/p>\n But unlike these addictive and potentially harmful substances, there are benefits to social media<\/a>, especially for teens who feel disconnected from their local communities and want to build relationships<\/a> with others who feel similarly.<\/p>\n Social media platforms allow for global connectivity and community-building with like-minded groups. They also provide a place for self-expression and civic engagement<\/a>. <\/p>\n In a Pew survey of U.S. teens, 80% said social media helps them stay connected<\/a> to what\u2019s happening in their friends\u2019 lives.<\/p>\n Even as states and countries are moving to ban young people from social media, there isn\u2019t clear evidence that spending time on these platforms is the main cause of their mental health problems.<\/p>\n Show me the money<\/p>\n One place where the comparison with tobacco is actually quite apt is in relation to the money from lawsuit settlements.<\/p>\n In 1998, states settled a lawsuit against the major tobacco companies<\/a> to recover smoking-related healthcare costs. Part of the settlement was allocated to programs aimed at reducing youth smoking. In 2026, total state funding for these programs amounts to just 3.4% of the $21.7 billion<\/a> in revenue states will collect from tobacco settlement payments and tobacco taxes.<\/p>\n Similarly, some money from an August 2026 Meta settlement with a group of states<\/a> for $17 billion is slated for state-based programs focusing on mental health infrastructure<\/a>, school and community programs, and public health campaigns. <\/p>\n However, there is no oversight or direction as to how states should use the funds, nor is there a mechanism to report how that money has improved kids\u2019 mental health care, safety and well-being.<\/p>\n Is it even possible?<\/p>\n Early evidence from the Australian social media ban shows that kids are finding work-arounds: Roughly 61% of kids ages 12\u201315 continue to access platforms using false IDs<\/a>, altered appearances or virtual private networks, or VPNs, even though millions of accounts were disabled<\/a>. In fact, this has become so common that U.K. lawmakers are debating restricting consumer VPN access.<\/p>\n Some countries, such as Australia, require the platforms themselves to develop ways of verifying a user\u2019s age. Some minors have bypassed scans<\/a> from biometric age estimation technology<\/a> by using photo manipulation software, substituting celebrity photos, using clever makeup<\/a> and even utilizing older friends and parents to pass the \u201cselfie tests\u201d on their behalf. Others simply manipulate their birth years during registration or rely on existing adult-verified accounts<\/a> managed by family members.<\/p>\n And all of these age-verification methods, whether developed by a government or a social media platform, rely on collecting sensitive data to estimate age<\/a> accurately, which creates privacy concerns.<\/p>\n Australia is currently seeking to raise fines<\/a> on social media platforms that fail to comply with its requirements. The Australian safety commissioner, charged with enforcing the ban, issued a compliance update that showed 7 in 10 children who held accounts in restricted platforms remained on those platforms<\/a>, and more than 80% of Australian teens ages 10-15 still use social media frequently.<\/p>\n Beyond concerns about enacting and enforcing these restrictions, some policymakers also worry that total bans could push some kids to migrate to even riskier online spaces<\/a>.<\/p>\n Age verification software has proved to be unreliable and raises new concerns about young people\u2019s privacy online. What could work<\/p>\n Based on the evidence, I\u2019m not convinced that banning social media platforms will be an effective solution to the mental health crisis among young people today.<\/p>\n So what could work?<\/p>\n Supporting young people\u2019s mental health is a complex endeavor that will require a combination of people, organizations and resources coming together.<\/p>\n I believe kids\u2019 mental health would be better served by governments enforcing safety by default standards<\/a> on social media platforms rather than outright bans. This means that the highest security and privacy options are in place by default so that minors still on a platform are protected. For instance, accounts would be unsearchable by default, so users would have to intentionally make a profile change to be found by people they don\u2019t know in real life.<\/p>\n Safety by default standards also place limits on the manipulation, algorithmic restraint and other addictive mechanisms that may lead to psychological harm in vulnerable populations such as young people.<\/p>\n Educating kids on digital literacy and online safety as well as ensuring some screen-free time<\/a> are also going to help support kids\u2019 mental health.<\/p>\n It\u2019s also important for parents and other caregivers to recognize changes in behavior as a result of addiction to social platforms and screens<\/a>. And when adults start seeing signs of a problem, they need clear, easy and affordable ways to connect their kids to mental health support, which is not available in most places right now.<\/p>\n![\"phone](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/file-20261009-60-zz5h4b.jpg\")
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