The head of Pinterest has called for a ban on social media for teenagers under the age of 16

This is according to Reuters. Pinterest

CEO Bill Reddy has publicly called for strict restrictions on teenagers’ access to social media. In a post on LinkedIn published on Friday, he urged world leaders to establish a clear rule banning social media for users under the age of 16.

Rady stated that such a rule must be accompanied by effective enforcement, as well as accountability for both mobile operating systems and the apps running on them.

He made his position public at a time when a court hearing is underway in Los Angeles regarding the impact of social media on young people. In this case, Google and Meta face allegations that their platforms contribute to a mental health crisis among young users. The jury has now retired to the deliberation room to reach a verdict.

As an example, Reddy cited Australia, where a ban on social media use for those under 16 is already in place. Meanwhile, a Pinterest spokesperson declined to comment on this post.

The Pinterest CEO’s stance differs markedly from the approach taken by the heads of the world’s largest tech companies. It is precisely these companies that have recently come under increasing pressure from regulators, courts and legislators demanding changes to how children and teenagers use their products, given the impact on mental health.

According to information on the Pinterest website, in the US, users can register an account on the platform from the age of 13. At the same time, the company itself has in recent years sought to establish itself as a platform aimed at Generation Z, which typically refers to people born between 1997 and 2012.

According to research firm Apptopia, a third of Pinterest users are aged between 17 and 25.

As a reminder, Meta has patented AI that can manage the social media accounts of deceased users