US Lawmakers Push for Ban on Under-16 Social Media

Bipartisan effort aims to protect youth mental health amid social media concerns.

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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Senators Katie Britt (R-Ala.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) are leading a push for a federal ban on social media use for children under 16 years old. The proposal has drawn interest from the White House as well, with concerns growing over the mental health impacts of platforms like Instagram and TikTok on young users. Australia has already implemented a similar law, and other countries are considering following suit.

Why it matters

Experts have highlighted the negative effects of excessive social media use on youth mental health, including epidemic levels of anxiety and depression. A federal ban could empower parents to limit their children's social media access and reduce the peer pressure that comes with widespread platform use among minors.

The details

The proposed legislation would require social media companies like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and others to verify the ages of their users and deactivate accounts for anyone under 16. Supporters argue this would be a more effective solution than piecemeal efforts like banning smartphones in schools or suing tech firms over past harms. While no ban will be perfect, the "it's illegal" argument could make it easier for parents to enforce limits on their children's social media use.

  • In February 2026, Senators Britt and Schatz introduced legislation to ban social media for under-16s.
  • Australia implemented a similar law in early 2026, claiming to have deactivated 4.7 million underage accounts in the first month.

The players

Katie Britt

Republican Senator from Alabama who is co-sponsoring the proposed legislation to ban social media for minors.

Brian Schatz

Democratic Senator from Hawaii who is co-sponsoring the proposed legislation to ban social media for minors.

Mark Zuckerberg

CEO of Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, who recently testified in a lawsuit related to the mental health impacts of social media on youth.

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What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This proposed legislation represents a bipartisan effort to address the growing concerns over the negative mental health impacts of social media on young people. If enacted, it could empower parents to limit their children's access and reduce the peer pressure associated with widespread social media use among minors.