Banning kids from social media won’t solve a society-wide problem

This article was originally published in The Gazette.

On May 29, Quebec’s all-party legislative committee released its long-awaited report on screen time and youth well-being. Among its 56 recommendations: restricting access to social media for anyone under 14 without parental consent. The intent is noble — to protect young people’s mental health — and echoes similar moves in countries like France and Australia.

But while well-meaning, this approach reinforces a harmful myth — that social media overuse is mainly a youth problem.

In reality, adults are just as vulnerable to the persuasive, reward-driven design of social media platforms. If we’re serious about reducing digital harm, we need inclusive, system-wide solutions — not narrow restrictions that target only children.

More important, restricting access for a generation that has grown up with these technologies is akin to banning adults from their phones. It risks creating more distress, anxiety and resistance, especially when the platforms remain addictive by design.

A growing body of research shows that compulsive social media use closely mirrors behavioural addictions like gambling. A 2025 study in Addictive Behaviors Reports found that adults show the same dependency symptoms: loss of control, withdrawal and disruptions to sleep, work and relationships.

These effects are especially common among university students, professionals and parents — the very people expected to guide younger users.

Yet most conversations, policies and interventions remain youth-focused. The burden falls on schools and families, while the platforms’ manipulative design — built to maximize engagement — remains intact.

Even Amélie Dionne, the Coalition Avenir Québec MNA who chaired the committee, acknowledged that age restrictions are difficult to enforce. As with many online rules, they can often be bypassed with a few clicks or a parent’s consent.

Meanwhile, users of all ages are still exposed to addictive features like infinite scroll, algorithmic content loops and reward-based feedback systems.

Some argue that digital education could help. But we’ve seen this story before. In the 1970s and ‘80s, extensive public health campaigns warned people about the dangers of smoking. Yet without stricter policies or industry changes, smoking rates remained high.

The same logic applies here. As Daniel Kahneman’s behavioural research shows, people tend to choose small, certain pleasures (like scrolling) over uncertain long-term consequences (like future anxiety or sleep issues). Education can raise awareness and help to change the norms, but it’s rarely enough to overcome the brain’s wiring.

That’s why platform design must be part of the solution. A 2023 review in the Journal of Medical Internet Research shows that most social media interventions today are either too weak to work or too intense to scale. Digital detoxes also offer only short-term relief. CBT-based apps that use principles of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy require high motivation and mental-health literacy.

But a promising alternative lies in nudges — small, well-timed prompts that guide users toward healthier habits without restricting freedom. A 2021 study found that simple in-app reminders during scrolling significantly reduced usage time. Other tools, like time limits, reflection prompts or accountability features align tech use with long-term goals.

If Quebec wants to lead on digital well-being, it should consider incentivizing these features for all users, not just minors. Examples include:

• In-app dashboards showing daily usage
• AI-generated prompts during passive scrolling
• Scheduled “focus modes” with gentle exit cues
• Weekly self-reflection summaries

Unlike bans, these tools work with human psychology and acknowledge that overuse is often a design issue, not just a discipline failure.

This approach also relieves parents from having to bear the full burden. As Liberal MNA Enrico Ciccone said, “We don’t blame parents because they can’t go camping on weekends.” A model that relies solely on family enforcement is bound to fail, especially when parents themselves are struggling.

We need a shared-responsibility framework that includes platform accountability, informed policy and supportive tech tools — the same way weather and map apps come pre-installed on our devices. Tools for digital well-being should be just as accessible.

Quebec’s report opens a vital conversation. But to support mental health in the digital age, we must go beyond youth-focused fixes. Social media overuse is a generational crisis, not just a generational gap.

Let’s address the full picture — before we scroll past the solution.

Iman Goodarzi is a public scholar and PhD candidate in marketing at Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business. His research focuses on the role of AI in preventing excessive social media use.