Platforms like Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook have age constraints but have no mechanism to validate the age to access specific content. The second concern is safety, security, and the use of data collected by third parties, which can result in potential harm for a lifetime.

The third concern is mental health and well-being. As renowned United States Surgeon General Vivek Murphy stated, “Social media presents a profound risk for the mental health of adolescents and teens.” (Huddleston)

The fourth concern is time—how much time a child is allowed to use social media, and how this is being monitored. At a time when both parents are working to raise the family, what mechanism could effectively monitor social media usage?

All social media platforms focus on accessibility to reach more people, often by simplifying the signup process. However, this easy signup process can also introduce significant threats to children. Enforcing identification-based signup protocols could eliminate many issues. Additionally, proper monitoring and controlled accessibility to children-specific versions of social media applications can mitigate these concerns.

Furthermore, essential training from parents and teachers should be incorporated into the primary, elementary, and secondary education curricula. Rather than banning children from social media, we must strive to create secure, safe, and well-monitored systems that protect our youth while allowing them access to valuable learning tools.