[quotemstr]

There are supposedly studies linking social media to various negative consequences. For example, according to the Mayo Clinic, social media can:

- Distract from homework, exercise and family activities.

- Disrupt sleep.

- Lead to information that is biased or not correct.

... Ah, just like that public health menace, the public library.

I don't believe "social media" is actually injurious to youths. The studies saying it does, ISTM, are all confounded, of poor quality, and ride off publication bias. And yeah, it's remarkable that a lot of people on this very thread ago grew up on the Internet and gained lifelong technical skills want to pull the ladder up after them on the grounds of unproven and implausible harms.

In reality, the drive for social media age limits is the latest in a long line of moral panics. In the 80s, it was D&D corrupting innocent souls. Now, it's feed ranking? I don't believe any of it.

Looking for reason at the root of a moral panic usually leads only to despair. These things just have to be endured.

[enaaem]

Gambling doesn’t cause physical harm either, but it’s also banned for children. It’s similar to social media in that both are made to be as addictive as possible and they exploit human psychology.

I think it’s telling that many people here who work in tech don’t want social media for their kids, but there are no comic book readers who want to ban comics for their kids.