The proposal to ban social media for children under 15 has sparked debate. Grégoire Borst, a neuroscience researcher, points out that without effective age verification or educational support, this measure risks being ineffective.
Systemic Regulation Needed
The official minimum age for accessing social media is already 13, a rule that is widely circumvented. The researcher advocates for a broader approach: algorithm audits, digital education, strict age verification, and the potential creation of platforms adapted for 13-17 year olds, without attention-capturing mechanisms.
Amplifier Rather Than Cause
Current scientific data does not show a direct causal link between social media and psychological disorders. Platforms amplify pre-existing symptoms in vulnerable individuals, particularly girls, who are more exposed to negative effects related to body image.
A Fundamental Need for Socialization
Social media fulfills a central need during adolescence: peer socialization. Social exclusion activates the same areas in the brain as physical pain. Many young people say they are ready to leave these platforms, provided everyone else does, refusing self-exclusion from a social space that has become indispensable.
Grégoire Borst recommends that parents focus on actual usage rather than screen time, and that adolescents pay attention to their sleep and well-being.
To delve deeper into this analysis, please consult the full article.
Source: Ban on social media for under-15s: what research says
This summary aims to be transparent and neutral. Disconnecto intervenes here as an observer of the digital landscape, without taking a position. We invite you to consult the original source for a complete reading.
Share:
Les lycées français bientôt sans smartphone dès septembre 2026