According to U.S. Sen. Katie Britt (R-Montgomery), a minimum age limit for social media use is needed to address a growing mental health crisis occurring among the nation's youth.
During a Tuesday appearance on Fox News Channel's "America's Newsroom," Britt relayed sobering statistics tied to early social media access, noting that tech companies exploit younger users through algorithms with indifference to the harm they cause.
"One in three high school young women last year said she actually considered death by suicide," Britt told host Bill Hemmer. "Twenty-five percent of those young women actually made a plan, and then 13% of high school young women in America actually attempted death by suicide. When you add in young men, that goes to 9% obviously, this is beyond alarming."
"How many parents do we have to have come in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee and others telling us the heartbreaking story of losing their children before we act?" she asked.
The senator called the continued indecision from Congress on the issue "feckless."
"Our kids, ages 13 to 17, have said they actually feel more negative, feel more depressed. Almost 50% of them admit to that after being on social media," Britt stated. "The previous Surgeon General said kids shouldn't be on social media until they're 16. Now is the time to act. But the truth is big tech has a grip on Congress, and Congress' inaction is feckless."
Britt argued that she understands, from firsthand experience, why an age requirement on social media is needed.
"I do not have to ask people what it is like to raise kids right now. I am living it, and we know the harms, and it is our job to put up the proper guardrails so that these kids can flourish," she said. "I think the time for action is now. "
"DC needs to do something. They need to take a step back from the grip that Big Tech has on them, and think about their children and the next generation," Britt added.
Instituting an age requirement on social media has long been a goal of Britt. During the 119th Congress, she helped co-sponsor the Kids Off Social Media Act, which limits children under 13's access to social media and requires platforms to implement certain restrictions.
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