Key facts
- 61% of Americans favor stronger government oversight of social media companies.
- 71% of Democrats and 62% of Republicans support increased social media regulation.
- 66% of Americans support laws requiring age-verification tools for users under 16.
- 85% of Americans believe social media is addictive and harmful to children's mental health.
- 70% of Americans find their time on social media enjoyable.
A bipartisan majority of Americans support increased government regulation of social media companies, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll. The survey found that 61% of respondents believe social media platforms need firmer oversight, with 71% of Democrats and 62% of Republicans agreeing.
The poll also revealed strong support for laws requiring age-verification tools to prevent children under 16 from accessing social media platforms, with 66% of Americans backing the idea. Support was particularly high among Republicans (74%) and Democrats (69%).
These findings come as social media giants like Meta Platforms and Google's YouTube face mounting legal challenges concerning their impact on young users. Meta is particularly under scrutiny, with a trial expected to address allegations of designing its products to be addictive for minors. A New Mexico court recently ordered Meta to pay $567 million for harming children's well-being.
Lawmakers across the U.S. are also increasing scrutiny, with over a dozen states enacting laws to regulate minors' social media access. However, trade groups like NetChoice, supported by major social media companies, are challenging these laws, arguing they infringe on free speech protections.
Despite concerns about addiction and harm to mental health, with 85% of Americans believing social media can be detrimental to children, users generally enjoy the platforms. The poll found that 70% of respondents find their time spent on social media to be fun, while 52% feel they spend too much time on it daily.
The Reuters/Ipsos poll surveyed 4,505 U.S. adults online and has a margin of error of 2 percentage points.