Most parents would agree that kids should be kept from adult-themed material until they are adults. At the very least, a parent should be with them. Weak social media age restrictions make that hard. A child with their own phone has more or less unfettered access to everything on the internet. Other users can contact them too.
Children’s Access to Adult Content on Social Media
A phone can be a good thing for a child. They can use it for school research or to find a nearby restaurant. But it is just as easy for them to find and view content that isn’t appropriate for their age. Other users can also contact them and set the stage for abuse.
As Marlo Greer asks in a recent video, would you bring your child into an adult-goods store, or let them browse the video section alone? Having a phone is a lot like a big box store where kids can walk in by themselves. One aisle has snacks and drinks. The next has adult videos and sex toys. Anyone in the store can approach them. Now all of that comes to them through their phones. (This isn’t a post about parenting. How you raise your kid is generally up to you, as long as you don’t abuse them or break the law.)
Why Social Media Platforms Are Being Sued
That’s the point of some of the lawsuits against big social media companies such as Meta (Facebook and Instagram), Alphabet (Google and YouTube) and X (Twitter). They seek to hold the companies responsible for making it easy for kids to reach content that is arguably not appropriate for their age. They also say the companies created an environment where other users can target kids and cause mental and physical abuse.
We regulate alcohol, drugs and even movie access by age. Stronger social media age restrictions aren’t out of the question. Companies could introduce guidelines that make it harder for children to reach content they arguably shouldn’t see until they’re older. They could also make it harder for others to abuse kids.
For more, read Adult Stores and Social Media: A Child-Safety Comparison and Social Media Harm Lawsuits: What Parents Need to Know.
If Your Child Was Harmed Through Social Media
If someone contacted your child through social media and your child suffered emotionally or physically, you may be able to recover compensation. Depending on the circumstances, it may be possible to hold both the platform and the person who misused it responsible.
We represent people injured because of the negligence or intentional acts of others. Call Greer Law at 303-331-6460 or fill out our contact form to set up a free case evaluation.
