{"id":108102,"date":"2026-07-03T11:02:47","date_gmt":"2026-07-03T10:02:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/blog\/?p=108102"},"modified":"2026-07-03T11:02:48","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T10:02:48","slug":"most-americans-support-potential-social-media-ban-under-16s","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/blog\/most-americans-support-potential-social-media-ban-under-16s\/","title":{"rendered":"Most Americans support a potential social media ban for under-16s, new survey finds"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A new Pew survey reveals growing public support for stricter social media rules for younger users in the US.<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A new survey suggests public opinion in the US may be shifting when it comes to social media access for younger users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to research from the Pew Research Center<\/a>, most Americans say they would support banning children under the age of 16 from using social media. While the findings don’t indicate that a nationwide ban is imminent, they add to an ongoing global conversation around online safety, age verification and how young people engage with digital platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most Americans back stricter social media measures<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Pew survey found that 56% of US adults support banning under-16s from social media, while 21% oppose the idea and 23% are unsure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As 9to5Mac<\/a> reports, support is even stronger among parents, with 65% of those with children under 18 favouring a ban. The proposal also received bipartisan backing, with more Republicans and Democrats supporting it than opposing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The survey found strong support for other measures too. Eighty-five percent of respondents said they support requiring parental consent for minors to create social media accounts, while 78% support mandatory age verification. The same proportion also favour limits on how much time minors can spend using social platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The findings are based on responses from 9,750 US adults, giving the survey a reported margin of error of plus or minus 1.4%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The debate extends beyond the US<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The survey reflects public opinion rather than government policy, and there is currently no federal proposal to ban under-16s from social media in the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, discussions around protecting younger users are taking place in several countries. As 9to5Mac reports, governments including those in France, Denmark, Norway, Spain, South Korea and the UK have introduced, proposed or announced measures relating to social media access for children and teenagers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last month, the UK government announced its own social media ban<\/a> for under-16s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, as Music Ally<\/a> notes, some individual US states have explored restrictions on younger users, although no nationwide legislation is currently under consideration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What could this mean for independent artists?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

For artists, the survey is less about what will happen next and more about the direction of the conversation surrounding social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts remain some of the biggest drivers of music discovery, particularly among younger audiences. While there’s no indication that access to these platforms will change in the US, the findings are a reminder that platform rules, regulations and user behaviour can evolve over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That’s why building an audience across multiple channels remains one of the smartest long-term strategies. Alongside social media, artists should continue investing in streaming platforms, direct fan relationships and owned channels like email newsletters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Common challenges of self-marketing as a musician (and how to overcome them)<\/a><\/blockquote>