Global Support Grows for Social Media Bans Targeting Children Under 14

International momentum is building for legislative restrictions on children's social media access, with recent research indicating 71% global support for prohibiting platform use among children under 14 years old. The Ipsos "Education Monitor 2025" survey findings emerge as multiple nations including Italy, Spain, South Korea, and several US states develop regulatory frameworks limiting youth access to platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube without parental approval.International Support Patterns and Turkish Perspective

The survey documented particularly strong support in Indonesia (87%), France (85%), Spain (84%), Colombia (82%), and Peru (80%) for social media restrictions targeting young children. In Türkiye, 76% of respondents endorsed prohibiting social media access for children under 14, ranking eleventh among surveyed nations. Regarding smartphone usage in educational settings, 55% of global participants supported school bans, with France demonstrating the highest approval rate at 80% while Türkiye registered 53% support for classroom smartphone restrictions.

Divided Opinions on Artificial Intelligence

Survey participants demonstrated nearly equal division regarding artificial intelligence applications in educational environments, with 37% supporting bans on AI tools like ChatGPT in schools while 38% opposed such restrictions. The closely split opinion reflects ongoing global deliberation about appropriate technology integration in educational settings and the pedagogical implications of emerging artificial intelligence technologies for student development and learning methodologies.

Mental Health Considerations and Research Findings

The regulatory momentum coincides with growing research linking adolescent social media exposure to mental health challenges. The 2023 US Surgeon General's Advisory report noted that adolescents aged 10-19 undergo "highly sensitive period of brain development" during which frequent social media use may associate with neurological changes affecting emotional learning and impulse control regions. Concurrent University of California research observing approximately 12,000 children over three years documented increasing depression symptoms among 9-10 year-olds correlating with heightened social media engagement, though researchers acknowledged potential benefits including online friendship formation and diverse social connection opportunities.