North Carolina bill proposes social media ban for children under 14

TRIAD, N.C. — A new bill in North Carolina is aiming to restrict social media access for children under the age of 14. House Bill 301, proposed by Forsyth County Representative Jeff Zenger, seeks to prevent young children from using certain apps, while requiring parental consent for those aged 14 to 16.

A Winston-Salem mother expressed concerns about the influence of social media on children, saying, "It got in his hands when we didn’t want it in his hands and it kind of encouraged certain behaviors within him and certain ideas that he didn’t understand."

A report by Common Sense highlights that children aged 8 to 12 spend an average of five and a half hours on screens daily, with 38 percent of tweens having used social media.

The mother added, "The smart devices have just become a distraction and almost too much of an influence that the parents aren’t able to have with the children now."

Zenger emphasized the lack of benefits for children on social media.

"There’s no redeeming quality that I can find for kids to be on social media. So what this says is if you’re 14 and under or under 14 you’re off. If you’re between 14-16 you have to have parental consent," said Zenger.

If passed, the bill would allow for legal action against social media platforms that violate the proposed restrictions. Zenger explained his motivations, saying the bill aims to protect children's information and keep them safe from predators.

He noted bipartisan support for the bill.

"The driving home point that I want parents to know this bill is designed with you in mind, it’s not designed to penalize you it’s not designed to criticize you, it is designed to help you, it is there to be a tool for you," said Zenger.

The bill still has a long journey before potentially becoming law.