MAGA Republicans want the U.S. to follow in Australia’s footsteps by banning younger children from social media.
One day after Australia became the first country in the world to prohibit children aged 16 and under from platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, some GOP lawmakers and Trump allies have endorsed the idea.
Speaking about the ban on Wednesday, Republican Senator Katie Britt lashed out at Congress for failing to tackle the harm social media was causing young people and commended Australia’s new laws.
“The truth is, Big Tech has a grip on Congress—and Congress’s inaction is feckless,” Britt told Fox News.
“We know the harms, and it is our job to put up the proper guardrails so that these kids can flourish. I think the time for action is now and Australia taking this step, I hope, leads to the U.S. actually doing something.”
Australia’s new laws, introduced by the center-left Albanese government, target 10 social media platforms, including Instagram, Threads, Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, X, and YouTube.
Under the ban, social media companies will be required to take “reasonable” steps to remove accounts held by users under 16 years of age, and prevent them from registering new ones. Companies that don’t comply risk fines of up to $AUD49.5 million ($32,874,135).
The change is being closely watched by the U.S., which has long struggled to establish rules tackling social media safety in a rapidly changing online environment. Big tech giants such as Elon Musk have also rebuked the idea.
But some Republicans are quietly pushing their own set of measures to tackle the issue.
In the Senate, Trump ally Ted Cruz has co-sponsored the bipartisan ‘Kids Off Social Media Act’, which seeks to ban social media platforms from allowing children under 13 to create or maintain accounts, regardless of parental consent.
The bill, co-sponsored by Britt and Democratic senators such as Brian Schatz and Chris Murphy, also imposes restrictions on algorithms for users under 17.
“Every parent I know is concerned about the online threats to kids, from predators to videos promoting self-harm, risky behavior, or low self-esteem,” Cruz said when the bill was introduced.
“Many families have suffered due to Big Tech’s failure to take responsibility for its products.”
Meanwhile, in the House of Representatives on Thursday, an Energy and Commerce subcommittee will consider another bill, the Kids Online Safety Act.
This aims to put in place stricter social media controls by allowing children and parents to disable addictive features like infinite scroll and autoplay of videos, or opt out of algorithmic recommendations.
On the Hill on Tuesday, the Senate Judiciary Committee, led by Republican Chuck Grassley with members such as Trump acolyte Lindsey Graham, held a hearing on online child exploitation that also pushed for more safeguards.
During the hearing, the committee heard from a mother whose son committed suicide in 2022 after being targeted by overseas scammers. The perpetrators blackmailed him by threatening to send sexually explicit images of him to his friends and family unless he sent money.
“As technology changes and evolves, so do bad actors who use it to commit all types of crime,” Grassley said.
The Daily Beast has asked the White House whether the President would back a social media ban on American kids, but it has yet to respond.
However, the issue is likely to gain traction in the lead-up to the 2028 election, with at least one Democratic presidential hopeful, Rahm Emanuel, already calling for reform.
“When it comes to our adolescents, it’s either going to be adults or the algorithms that raise our kids. No child under the age of 16 should have access to social media,” said Emanuel, a former ambassador, mayor and Obama White House chief of staff.
“TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and others are too powerful, too addictive, too alluring and too often target our young kids. Parents can not fight big tech alone.”
In Australia, some parents have welcomed the ban as a way to manage social media exposure and protect children from bullying, harmful content or online predators.
However, others warn it could infringe on children’s rights and harm their sense of social inclusion.
There are also various workarounds, such as using VPNs to disguise internet traffic locations.
But Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese said on Tuesday: “Make no mistake, this reform will change lives for Australian kids.” It would also give greater peace of mind, not just to parents, he said, “but also for the global community who are looking at Australia and saying, well, if Australia can do it, why can’t we?”
The post MAGA Republicans Demand Kids Be Banned from Social Media appeared first on The Daily Beast.
