Our attitude toward kids and social media has shifted dramatically. Here's what that can teach us about change

"The Overton Window describes the range of ideas that are considered politically acceptable at any given time, ranging from unthinkable to popular and eventually to policy. Ideas outside the window—no matter how sensible—get dismissed as too extreme, too impractical, or too politically risky to touch. But when conditions change, the window can move, sometimes gradually and sometimes with startling speed, pulling yesterday's fringe idea into today's mainstream."

"When social psychologist Jonathan Haidt published The Anxious Generation in March 2024, his core proposal—that children should be kept off social media until at least age 16, with tech companies bearing the burden of enforcement—was treated by many as aspirational, even quixotic. The tech industry dismissed it. Libertarian critics called it paternalistic overreach. Skeptics questioned the evidence base."

"Australia led the charge, enacting an outright ban on social media for children under 16 that took effect in December 2025, with monetary penalties falling squarely on the platforms—not on parents or kids. France has passed a bill banning social media for children under 15. Denmark secured cross-party support for a similar ban, expected to become law by mid-2026."

Jonathan Haidt's 2024 proposal to keep children off social media until age 16, with tech companies enforcing the restriction, was initially dismissed as impractical and paternalistic. However, within two years, this idea transformed from fringe to mainstream consensus, demonstrating the Overton Window concept—how acceptable policy ranges shift dramatically. Multiple countries have enacted or are pursuing similar legislation: Australia implemented a ban in December 2025 with platform penalties, France banned social media for under-15s, and Denmark, Spain, Germany, Malaysia, Slovenia, Italy, and Greece are advancing comparable measures. In the United States, bipartisan support emerged for the Kids Off Social Media Act, marking unprecedented political agreement on tech regulation.

Read at Fast Company