Bipartisan majority backs stricter social media rules, poll finds

A new poll reveals that a majority of Americans across party lines want the government to take a firmer hand with social media companies. The survey, conducted by Varta Wire and Ipsos, found that 61% of respondents believe these platforms need stronger oversight, with support at 71% among Democrats and 62% among Republicans.

Even more striking, 66% of those polled back laws requiring social media firms to use age-verification tools to block children under 16 from their platforms. This idea drew support from 74% of Republicans and 69% of Democrats.

The findings come as tech giants like Meta and Google's YouTube face mounting legal pressure over their treatment of young users. A trial is set to begin this week over allegations that Meta designed its products to be addictive for minors. Meta denies the claims and says it could face up to $1.4 trillion in penalties if states prevail. In a separate case, a New Mexico court ordered Meta to pay $567 million into a teen mental health fund and change how its platforms operate for young users.

More than a dozen states have passed laws regulating minors' access to social media, but a trade group backed by Meta, TikTok, and Snap has sued to block such laws, arguing they violate free speech protections. Congress has yet to pass federal legislation on the issue.

The poll also found that 85% of Americans believe social media can be addictive for children, and a similar share think it can harm their mental health. Yet many people still enjoy the platforms: 70% said their time on social media is fun, while only 35% said it stresses them out. Respondents were split on whether they overuse it, with 52% saying they spend too much time on social media daily.

The survey, conducted online over six days ending August 3, included 4,505 U.S. adults and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.