Seventy-four percent of voters believe that social media companies and other websites should be required to obtain parental consent for users under 18.
WHY IT MATTERS – Many states are passing laws regulating social media and the Surgeon General recently warned that it can be a “profound risk” to youth.
THE NUMBERS – A recent Scott Rasmussen national survey asked Americans questions regarding social media and privacy.
Should social media companies and other websites be required to obtain parental consent for users under 18?
- 74 percent – Yes
- 13 percent – No
- 13 percent – Not sure
Should social media companies and other websites have stricter rules regarding privacy and data collection for users who are under 18 than they have for adults?
- 85 percent – Yes
- 7 percent – No
- 8 percent – Not sure
Should social media companies be held responsible if children access violent or pornographic content on their platforms without their parents’ permission?
- 61 percent – Yes
- 22 percent – No
- 16 percent – Not sure
Is it reasonable to expect social media companies and other websites to be able to limit what is available to children under 18, while still allowing adults to access that same content?
- 69 percent – Yes
- 17 percent – No
- 14 percent – Not sure
THE BOTTOM LINE– A significant majority of voters believe that social media companies should be required to obtain parental consent and have stricter privacy rules for users under 18, reflecting concerns about the well-being of young users and the need for protection from harmful content.
GO DEEPER–
Ballotpedia – Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day
Politico – Big Tech carves loopholes out of state kids’ safety laws