Bill would ban social media for kids under 14 in Massachusetts, prohibit cellphone use in schools
The Massachusetts House of Representatives is set to vote on a bill that would ban social media for kids under 14 in the state, while also prohibiting cell phone use during the school day.
House Speaker Ron Mariano and Ways and Means Committee Chair Aaron Michlewitz said the youth social media ban "would be among the most restrictive in the entire country."
"The simple reality is that Massachusetts must do more to ensure that our laws keep pace with modern challenges – especially when it comes to protecting our children, and to setting students up for success in the classroom and beyond," the Democratic lawmakers said in a statement.
Social media ban bill in Massachusetts
The legislation instructs social media companies to ban minors under 14 from using their platforms. It also requires 14-and-15-year-olds to get verifiable permission from their parents before using social media.
There would be no restrictions on social media use for those 16 and older.
"You can get your driver's license at 16, I think you know how to use social media when you're 15," one student explained.
The companies would need to implement an age verification system, and give parents of minors access to their child's social media data. The law would take effect on Oct. 1, 2026.
In 2024, Florida enacted a similar law to keep children off social media, though it has been challenged in court by First Amendment advocates.
"We know that there could be some potential legal challenges," Michlewitz said. "We think it's the right thing to do, we think we're on solid ground."
CBS News Boston has reached out to the companies that operate X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat for comment.
Massachusetts school cellphone ban bill
The other aspect of the bill deals with cellphones in school, something New York and other states have already restricted.
Under the proposal, school districts would be required to have a policy banning student use of phones during the school day.
It would also create a pilot program for 10 school districts to try technology that would make "students' personal electronic devices inoperable on school grounds during the school day."
A phone ban is already in effect at Watertown High School. They're the first school in the country to use the free "Doorman" program, which prevents students from using their phones when they enter the classroom, leaving them only the ability to make a phone call.
"Kids understand it's a good middle ground between kind of locking their phones up and having their phones freely, so this strikes a balance," Watertown Principal Joel Giacobozzi said.
The House vote is scheduled for Wednesday. The Massachusetts Senate voted last year to ban phones in schools, but it hasn't been taken up by the House until now.
Gov. Maura Healey has spoken in support of youth social media restrictions, as well as a bell-to-bell cellphone ban in schools.
