Democratic Project 2029 calls for child social media ban, strict kids safety rules on tech

Democrats working on a policy blueprint ahead of the 2028 presidential election released their kids online safety proposal Monday, calling for a ban on social media for kids under 16 and stronger privacy protections.

The “Kids Over Clicks” proposal is the first to be released by the group, Project 2029, and zeroes in on the mental and physical health impacts of social media — and now artificial intelligence — on kids and teens.

The proposal cites numerous studies about the potential addictive nature of social media, arguing the federal government has “largely sat on the sidelines” to “establishing commonsense rules of the road.”

Project 2029 calls for lawmakers to ban social media platforms for kids under 16, a measure that is being embraced by a handful of other countries.

The approach, according to the group, “buys time for adolescent brains to develop the cognitive defenses needed to navigate platforms built around addictive design.” Many of the most popular social media platforms are owned by American tech companies, and such a blanket ban is likely to face intense backlash.

The group calls the kids safety push a Big Tobacco moment, comparing such a ban to the age restrictions put on nicotine, gambling or driving.

It also urges lawmakers to implement........

© The Hill