Proposed social media ban for minors treats different online risks as one, says tech CEO

A proposed measure seeking to ban minors aged 16 and below from accessing social media may fall short of addressing the real dangers children face online by treating different risks as a single problem, according to Ann Cuisia, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of TraXion Tech Inc. and technology advocate.

Cuisia said House Bill (HB) 8262, or the Social Media Protection for Minors Act, attempts to respond to legitimate concerns such as cyberbullying, exposure to harmful content, and online predators, but does so through a broad restriction that does not reflect how these risks actually operate.

“What the bill does is merge many different harms into one legislative response. That may be politically appealing, but it is not good systems design,” Cuisia said.

The bill proposes to prohibit minors from creating or maintaining social media accounts and places responsibility on platforms to enforce compliance through age verification systems, monitoring, and reporting requirements.

Cuisia said the approach risks oversimplifying the problem, noting that different types of harm require different forms of intervention.

“Algorithmic addiction, grooming, cyberbullying, and exploitation are not the same problem. Treating them as one issue and applying a single restriction will not solve them,” she said.

She warned that a blanket ban may not only be ineffective but could also push minors toward less regulated and potentially more dangerous online spaces where risks are harder to monitor.

Instead of a broad prohibition, Cuisia urged lawmakers to refine the bill by focusing on targeted measures that directly address how harm occurs online.

These include regulating platform design features that encourage excessive use, such as autoplay and infinite scrolling, and ensuring safer default settings for younger users, including private accounts and limits on public visibility.

She also emphasized the need to strengthen protections around adult to minor interactions, which she said is where a significant portion of risk is concentrated.

“Stranger messaging and unsolicited contact from adults to minors should be tightly controlled. This is where protection needs to be strongest,” Cuisia said.

Cuisia added that enforcement should prioritize identifying and stopping offenders, including faster removal of exploitative content and stronger coordination with law enforcement.

She also called for stricter safeguards if age verification systems are implemented, warning that these could introduce new privacy risks if not properly designed.

“If age assurance is required, there must be clear limits on data collection and use. Systems should not be repurposed for surveillance or broader identity tracking,” she said.

Cuisia said lawmakers should also distinguish between different types of platforms, noting that not all services with social features pose the same level of risk.

“The better approach is to address each type of harm with the right tool, not to apply one broad restriction to everything,” she said.

She added that while the bill is driven by valid concerns, its current design lacks the precision needed to effectively protect minors in an increasingly complex digital environment.

“A strong sounding restriction is not the same as effective protection. Policy must match the problem if we want real results,” Cuisia said.