Minnesota Can Make Social Media Safer For Kids [OPINION]

By Anna Brennan and Lucy Bichakhchyan, Minnesota Reformer

May 13, 2026

By the age of 8, a quarter of American children have a personal phone. By age 12, nearly half of them are on social media.

In the digital age, a kid’s journey into the world of social media is only natural. While the flashy apps that buy and sell our attention are disguised as harmless outlets for connectivity, they are designed to hold us captive. Infinite scrolling, autoplay videos, constant notifications and visible ‘like’ counts are not random features.

And as a young user, I did not understand that I was being shaped by them.

As I grew up online, the intentionally addictive features did not just keep me engaged; they kept me stuck. I would scroll for hours, exposed to misinformation, unregulated mature content, and even private messages from strangers asking for money.

I thought I was staying connected, but in reality, I was struggling with my mental health. I felt anxious, isolated and constantly caught in the trap of comparing myself to others. And I know I am not alone in that experience.

Research has shown that 95% of youth ages 13-17 use social media, and more than a third of them say they use it “almost constantly.”

Stop the harms of addictive social media

It does not have to be this way. The Legislature has an opportunity to eliminate the most addictive features of social media and bring parents back into the conversation by passing HF4138/SF4696. The House version will be debated on the floor Tuesday.

It would require parental consent for younger users; limit addictive design features for children; and restrict targeted advertising aimed at minors. Tech companies can make these adjustments by using the technology they already employ. These are not extreme ideas. Rather, they are reasonable protections that reflect the reality of how these platforms operate.

Today’s kids are entering an online environment that is even more aggressive and more personalized than when I joined just eight years ago. Yet there are still few meaningful safeguards in place to protect them.

We already recognize that kids need guardrails in the physical world. We do not allow them to drive without rules or to use harmful substances, yet social media platforms that shape how they think, feel and interact are not held to the same standard.

Besides social media, nowhere else do we allow minors to enter a contract — not for sports, camps or school outings. Yet they are allowed to sign over their data to Big Tech. Meanwhile, parents are left trying to manage something they cannot fully see, while tech companies continue to profit off their children

This legislation does not aim to ban social media; it aims to support parents, because the reality is that families cannot do this alone. Even the most attentive parents are up against platforms designed by teams of engineers whose goal is to maximize engagement. Parents want this help.

Helping kids thrive in the digital world

Despite their potential negative effects on mental health, social media platforms can be powerful tools for connection, expression and civic engagement. As a user myself, I have seen how social media can amplify voices and build community. We need that in Minnesota now more than ever, and this legislation would not interrupt that. I would just rather bring the dialogue home with families, ensuring that minors can engage respectfully and be kept safe.

Minnesota has an opportunity to lead by enacting clear, reasonable safeguards that prioritize young people’s well-being. Waiting will only allow these systems to become more embedded and more difficult to regulate.

For kids today, social media is not just a tool; it’s an environment they grow up in. Minnesota owes children basic safety standards that allow them to thrive in the digital landscape.

The Minnesota Reformer is an independent, nonprofit news organization dedicated to keeping Minnesotans informed and unearthing stories other outlets can’t or won’t tell.