It Is Not Only an Adult Concern: More Than Half of Japan’s Teenagers Say Social Media Needs Regulation

More than half of Japan’s teenagers believe children’s social media use should face age-based restrictions, according to an interim government survey. Among respondents aged 15 to 19, 53.2% of boys and 59.7% of girls agreed that access should be limited for children below a certain age.

Support was similarly high for restricting social media during late-night hours: 54.4% among boys and 59.7% among girls. Teenagers also recorded the highest levels across all age groups for recognizing that social media information can be biased and for saying that comparing themselves with other people’s posts made them feel depressed.

The findings come as governments in several countries consider tighter controls. Australia introduced a law last December banning people under 16 from opening or maintaining social media accounts. The measure covers 10 platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, with platforms facing fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars.

France is pursuing restrictions for users under 15, while the European Commission is considering phased access based on children’s ages. Britain, Denmark and Greece are also discussing minimum-age rules.

South Korea is debating measures to reduce excessive social media and smartphone use among young people. A government survey found that 43% of teenagers belonged to the high-risk group for smartphone overdependence last year. A 2023 study linked heavier social media use among elementary schoolchildren with more negative views of their appearance and warned that body-image problems could contribute to depression, anxiety and eating difficulties.

However, enforcement remains a challenge. Australia’s eSafety Commission reported that more than 81% of under-16s continued using social media after the ban took effect, compared with 86% before it. The figures have prompted criticism that authorities lack effective ways to prevent family-member accounts or circumvention access.