Three in five Americans favour stronger oversight of social media companies: Reuters/Ipsos poll

A Reuters/Ipsos poll reveals that a strong majority of Americans, 61%, favor stricter government oversight of social media companies. This support is bipartisan, with 71% of Democrats and 62% of Republicans backing such measures. The poll, conducted over six days ending August 3, comes amid mounting legal pressure on tech giants like Meta Platforms and Google's YouTube, which are accused of designing their products to addict young users.

A trial is scheduled to begin over allegations by state prosecutors that Meta intentionally designed its products to target young users, with potential penalties of up to $1.4 trillion if the allegations are proven true.

Separately, a New Mexico state court has ordered Meta to pay $567 million into a teen mental health fund and modify its platforms to better protect young users, citing the company's role in harming children's wellbeing. Tech companies are also facing increasing scrutiny from lawmakers across the U.S., with over a dozen states enacting laws regulating minors' access to social media to ensure their online safety.

NetChoice, a trade group backed by major social media firms such as Meta, TikTok, and Snap, has challenged these state laws, arguing they infringe on free speech protections.

The poll found that 66% of respondents support laws requiring social media companies to implement age-verification tools to prevent children under 16 from accessing their platforms, with Republican support at 74% compared to 69% among Democrats. James Bosserdet, a 60-year-old mechanical engineer from Tennessee who voted for Republican President Donald Trump in 2024, expressed his support for stricter regulations despite his desire for a smaller government role in Americans' lives.

Christopher Chen, a 34-year-old Washington, D.C. resident and Trump supporter, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the need for government intervention to protect teenagers from the addictive and potentially harmful effects of social media. Paula Dick, a 73-year-old Kansas resident and Trump 2024 voter, agreed that more government oversight is necessary, noting that her grandchildren have found ways to circumvent parental restrictions on platforms like YouTube.

While a majority of Americans enjoy using social media, 70% find their time on the platforms to be fun, though 35% report experiencing stress from their use. Opinions on whether people are spending too much time on social media are divided, with 52% believing they do and 43% disagreeing.