What if social media were treated like tobacco?

It might sound like a fantasy, but it’s closer to reality than you might think. Last year, Australia became the first country to ban social media for minors. The law passed the Australian parliament by an overwhelming margin and was wildly popular among Australian adults.

Taking a cue, the European Union released an app enabling age verification on social platforms, while a handful of European nations are mulling Australia-style bans. The Canadian government is “very seriously” considering mandatory age limits, while even here in America, the Massachusetts state house recently voted to ban social media for children under 14.

We don’t know how many of these proposals will become law; we also don’t know how effective the Australian experiment will be. But one thing is clear: the age of social media is over. The dream of connecting the world that once catalyzed Silicon Valley has crashed into regulatory stigmas and concerns over harm to children.

Technology is entering a new era. The United States is well-positioned to lead this next generation of tech, just as it did with social media. But that leadership will have to come not just from Silicon Valley but from Washington policymakers.

Doomsayers have been predicting the death of social........

© Townhall