Pinterest CEO urges ban on social media for users under 16

Pinterest CEO Bill Ready used a Time op-ed to call on governments to ban social media for users under 16. He warned that children are "living through the largest social experiment in history," given "unfiltered access to social media platforms," and is one of the few top CEOs to propose such a restriction as countries weigh limits and age verification.

Ready wrote that research shows this unfiltered access has contributed to increased rates of depression, anxiety and lower concentration skills, and that platforms offered "insufficient forethought about the consequences." He praised Australia’s social media ban for children and added that "if tech companies fail to prioritize youth safety, other governments should follow Australia’s lead." He compared the situation to regulated industries like tobacco and alcohol, saying "such policies can improve, and sometimes save lives." Pinterest has limited the site’s social features for users under 16, and Ready said the company remained successful with Gen Z despite that change.

Australia

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