However, the hypothesis that social media is harmful to teenagers has long been based on inconclusive research. This widely accepted assumption has fueled calls for bans and comprehensive restrictions on teenagers' use of these platforms. For over a decade, policymakers and others have portrayed teenagers' use of social media as an impending public health crisis. This has manifested in Australia's 2025 ban on children under 16 using social media, a recent vote in the UK House of Lords in favor of a similar proposal, and a growing interest in similar measures within the European Union and New Zealand.
