Three in five Americans favor stronger oversight of social media companies, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds

A new Reuters/Ipsos poll indicates that three-quarters of Americans favor stronger government oversight of social media companies, with 66% supporting the use of age-verification tools to restrict children under 16 from accessing these platforms. The poll, conducted over the six days leading up to August 3, comes amid mounting legal pressure on companies like Meta Platforms and Google's YouTube due to their alleged treatment of young users.

Legal proceedings are anticipated to commence on Wednesday in a trial concerning allegations that Meta designed its products to addict young users, which the company denies, stating it could face penalties of up to $1.4 trillion if the lawsuits succeed. A New Mexico state court recently ordered Meta to pay $567 million into a teen mental health fund and modify its platforms for young users, finding the company responsible for their wellbeing.

Meanwhile, over a dozen states have passed laws regulating minors' social media access, citing the need to enhance their online safety. Tech giants, backed by a trade group, have challenged such laws in court, contending they infringe upon free speech protections.