The Fox News Rundown Extra: Australia Banned Teens From Social Media. Should The US Follow?
Dec 14, 2025
Nicki Petrossi, founder of Scrolling2Death.com and social media reform advocate, discusses the recent Australian law banning under-16s from social media. She argues that social media is increasingly harmful to kids, pointing out how tech companies intentionally design addictive features targeting younger users. Petrossi emphasizes the need for better parental controls, highlights the need for legislative changes in the U.S., and urges parents to delay their children’s access to social platforms to protect them from addiction and other risks.
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Awareness Grows As Mental-Health Data Emerges
- The U.S. is becoming more aware that heavy social media use links to anxiety and depression in youth.
- Suicide rates for ages 10–14 rose sharply after widespread smartphone and social media adoption.
Phones Built For Adults, Not Kids
- Smartphones were designed for adults and don't align with healthy childhood development.
- Companies like Apple profit from kids using phones more, creating misaligned incentives for safety.
Delay Social Media Access For Health
- Raise the minimum age for social media; Australia set 16 as a new baseline.
- Nicki Petrossi believes delaying access will improve teens' mental and physical health.
