Technology and Science21 March, 20263 min read
Pinterest CEO Bill Ready Urges Global Ban on Social Media for Under-16s
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Bill Ready urges governments worldwide to ban social media for users under 16 Australia's under-16 ban is cited as model for global consideration
Global Call for Restrictions
Pinterest CEO Bill Ready has emerged as a prominent advocate for global restrictions on social media access for minors under 16. He made a bold call to action that positions him as one of the few top tech executives supporting such sweeping age-based restrictions. Ready published his position in a detailed Time Magazine essay and reinforced it through a LinkedIn post.
“Following the Australian government's social media ban for kids under 16, governments around the world are looking into the possibility of similar style bans. These governments considering these social media bans now have at least one unlikely supporter: The CEO of Pinterest.”
His statement came while a trial in Los Angeles about youth social media use was underway. His call comes as governments worldwide are implementing or considering measures to limit children's online time and age verification processes. This reflects growing international concern about the impact of social media on young people's development and mental health.
Tobacco Industry Comparison
Ready framed his position as both a professional stance and a deeply personal concern. He drew parallels between today's tech CEOs and 20th-century tobacco industry executives. He accused tobacco executives of insufficiently considering the health impacts of their products.
He characterized social media as the 'New Big Tobacco'. He argued that tech companies have given children 'unfiltered access' to platforms without adequate consideration. He emphasized that 'legal compliance is not the same as safety'.
He stressed that while broad restrictions come with difficult tradeoffs, they are necessary to protect young people. He described this as 'the largest social experiment in history'.
Pinterest's Own Policies
Despite running a platform with more than 50 percent Gen Z users, Ready has implemented significant restrictions within Pinterest. He removed all social features for users under the age of 16 within the platform. These measures include making accounts private and preventing underage users from receiving messages, comments, or likes from strangers.
“However, as Ready points out, Pinterest has made changes to its platform and removed all social features from Pinterest for users under the age of 16. Their profiles aren't discoverable, and these users can't receive messages, comments, or likes from strangers on Pinterest.”
Ready reported that these changes did not negatively impact Pinterest's relationship with younger users. This countered predictions that such restrictions would drive away the next generation of customers.
Ready quoted: 'people said we'd lose the next generation of users' but 'Gen Z says the opposite'. This practical implementation suggests age-appropriate restrictions can coexist with maintaining user engagement.
Australia Model and Regulatory Pressure
Ready specifically cited Australia's social media ban for children under 16 as a model policy. He suggested other governments should follow Australia's example. He argued that if tech companies fail to prioritize youth safety, regulatory intervention becomes necessary.
He called for 'a clear standard: no social media for teens under 16, backed by real enforcement'. He also called for accountability for mobile phone operating systems and the apps. This position puts Ready at odds with leaders of other major technology companies.
Other tech companies face growing pressure from regulators, courts, and lawmakers. Pinterest's current policies require users to be at least 13 to sign up in the U.S. Ready's call for a universal 16-year-old minimum age represents a significantly more restrictive approach.
Research and Mental Health Concerns
Ready's advocacy is grounded in research showing documented psychological harm. He described unrestricted social media access as exposing children to unknown strangers. He also said it fuels screen addictions among young people.
“Children today are living through the largest social experiment in history,' Ready writes. 'For years, kids around the world have been given unfiltered access to social media platforms. The companies building these platforms gave insufficient forethought about the consequences, the worst of which include exposing them to unknown strangers and fueling screen addictions.'”
He cited rising rates of anxiety and depression among today's youth. He mentioned eroding concentration skills and classroom attention issues. He described this as 'the largest social experiment in history'.
He emphasized that tech companies gave insufficient forethought about consequences. His warnings echo concerns raised in the ongoing Los Angeles trial. In that trial, Google and Meta face allegations about fueling youth mental health crisis.