Opinion: Utah families deserve choices for safer online experiences

Yahoo

27-02-2025

Social media platforms, as they currently exist, are designed in ways that drive an unacceptable number of kids into crisis. The Digital Choice Act would mandate data portability and interoperability across social media platforms. This would allow users to switch to platforms where they can better manage their online experience, without leaving their connections and memories behind.
I am the author and primary researcher of the book 'The Anxious Generation,' which documented the negative effects that smartphones and heavy use of social media has had on youth around the globe. The book has spent more than 40 weeks at the top of bestseller lists and has been used to motivate grassroots mobilization of students, teachers, administrators and parents toward regulating social media platforms.
As documented in my book and Substack, heavy social media use greatly increases the risk of depression, anxiety, eating disorders, addiction and an array of other harms for adolescents. Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of American kids are being harmed by these platforms every year. One internal Instagram study found that 8.1% of users report being a target of bullying, 11.9% report receiving an unwanted sexual advance and 16.3% report seeing unwanted sexually explicit content every seven days. Those numbers rise to 10.8% reporting being bullied, 13% receiving an unwanted sexual advance and 19.2% seeing unwanted sexually explicit content for 13-15 year olds.
Despite the health costs of using these platforms, many kids continue to use them, in part because of design patterns and AI-powered algorithms that maximize engagement. In fact, one recent study found 72% of kids report feeling manipulated by social media platforms. Children are still developing their ability to exhibit self-control in the face of immediate rewards — they know that they need help to control their online behavior. Kids' inability to control their use is no accident. The platforms are purposely designed to keep kids on screens, so that the companies can sell their attention to advertisers to increase profits.
Technology can certainly provide benefits to young people, but the current business incentives and design practices of some tech companies are leading them to cause vast harm to children and adolescents. Many young people regret their time spent on social media, and feel compelled to use them because all of their friends are using them. Even as we work to reform and regulate existing social media platforms, users should have realistic and safer online alternatives. The Digital Choice Act, which is currently under consideration in the Utah Legislature, would empower users to move their data to safer alternative platforms.
Protecting kids from online harm is non-partisan and supported by the majority of Americans. Legislators have the opportunity to take clear, decisive action, joining the bipartisan movement to protect kids' mental health, attention and relationships by supporting users who want a safer online experience.
I hope that Utah's legislators will send a strong signal to the tech industry by passing the Digital Choice Act now.