Pinterest CEO Backs Social Media Ban for Under-16s: Safety Concerns Rise

Pinterest CEO Bill Ready is calling for governments to ban social media access for individuals under the age of 16, a move aligning with a growing international trend toward stricter regulation of online platforms for young users. Ready articulated his position in a LinkedIn post and a subsequent opinion piece published Friday in TIME magazine, arguing that current social media environments are demonstrably unsafe for adolescents.

“As both a CEO and a parent, I believe we require to be honest: social media as it exists today is not safe for kids under 16,” Ready wrote. He criticized the design of many platforms, which prioritize engagement through features and algorithms and the increasing integration of artificial intelligence chatbots, asserting these elements negatively impact the well-being of young people.

Ready drew a parallel between the current situation and the historical response to the tobacco industry, suggesting social media companies have similarly failed to act in the public’s best interest. “Our industry has had years to mitigate these harms, but has time and again failed. The time for self-regulation has passed, and if tech companies don’t change, then the path should be obvious to lawmakers,” he stated. He specifically advocated for a universal standard of prohibiting social media utilize for those under 16, coupled with robust enforcement and accountability for both mobile operating systems and application developers.

Australia implemented a nationwide ban on social media for users under 16 in December 2025, serving as a catalyst for similar legislative efforts globally, particularly within Europe. The impetus behind these bans centers on addressing documented mental health concerns and protecting children from online predators.

Recent findings from the University of Oxford’s Wellbeing Research Centre, as part of the latest World Happiness Report, indicate a correlation between high internet usage and decreased life satisfaction among young people, with girls appearing particularly vulnerable. Data from Latin America suggests that algorithmically curated content is more detrimental to mental health than platforms focused on communication. High rates of social media use in the Middle East and North Africa have been linked to increased stress and depressive symptoms.

The World Happiness Report also cites experts who point to “overwhelming evidence” of sextortion and cyberbullying, and “compelling evidence” linking social media to depression and anxiety in young people. These scientists contend that social media is not “reasonably safe for children and adolescents” and that its widespread adoption in the early 2010s contributed to a rise in mental illness among Western populations by the mid-2010s.

Pinterest has already taken steps to enhance safety for younger users, making accounts belonging to individuals under 16 private by default, removing features like public discoverability, messaging with strangers, likes, and comments. Despite these measures, Ready noted that Gen Z constitutes over 50% of Pinterest’s user base.

“Our experience shows that prioritizing safety and well-being doesn’t push young people away; it builds trust,” Ready wrote. He framed the issue as a critical juncture, warning that inaction risks a generation grappling with widespread anxiety and depression, effectively subjected to a “global social experiment run by tech companies.”

Pinterest is actively supporting the App Store Accountability Act, recently approved by the House Energy and Commerce Committee. The act proposes mandatory age verification for app stores and requires parental consent for minors’ devices. Similar age verification measures are gaining momentum in state legislatures across the United States.