Ron DeSantis-Led Ban On Social Media For Kids Has The Support Of This Billionaire Investor: 'Obvious And Sensible Thing'

Chamath Palihapitiya, a prominent billionaire tech investor and venture capitalist, has expressed support for government regulation of social media use among teenagers, citing the potential for improved mental health and parental reinforcement.

What Happened: On Saturday, Palihapitiya took to X, formerly Twitter, and posted about the challenges he faces as a parent trying to limit his teenagers’ social media use. He welcomed government intervention as a form of reinforcement, particularly if it is backed by research on mental health impacts. He suggested that such regulation could help frame the long-term effects of social media use, much like other impactful products or technologies.

This comes in the wake of new legislation in Florida that bans social media use for children under 14 and requires parental permission for those aged 14 to 15. The law, which received bipartisan support, was signed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Monday.

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Why It Matters: The regulation of social media use among young people has been a contentious issue. The new Florida law represents a significant step in this direction, potentially setting a precedent for other states and countries. Benzinga reported on the implications of this law for tech companies like Meta Platforms, Google Parent Alphabet, and Snap.

In response to concerns about kids’ excessive social media usage, Utah and Arkansas enacted laws mandating parental consent for minors on platforms like TikTok. Utah’s Social Media Regulation Act includes a curfew and parental access to accounts, while Arkansas imposes fines for age verification violations.

Photo by Featureflash Photo Agency on Shutterstock

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