Mothers' Views on the Protecting Kids on Social Media Act
June 30, 2023
Rapid Poll

In June 2023, Count on Mothers examined mothers' views on the components of the "Protecting Kids on Social Media Act" (later renamed the "Kids Off Social Media Act," or KOSMA). Drawing on mothers across regions and the political spectrum, the survey captured firsthand perspectives on minimum age requirements, parental consent, and algorithmic protections for children. Mothers showed strong cross-partisan agreement on core components of the bill, including a minimum age of 13 for social media engagement and restrictions on algorithmic content targeting minors.

Related themes:

Shared Priorities and Cross-Partisan Alignment Among Mothers

Family Economic Security and Cost Pressures

  • U.S. mothers – across political ideologies - support the main components of the “Protecting Kids on Social Media Act” (the title of this bill was later changed to "Kids Off Social Media Act"). Specifically, regardless of political ideology, a strong majority of mothers supported a minimum age of 13 to engage in social media, parental consent for those 13-17 age youth interacting with social media, and preventing companies from using an algorithm that pushes content using children’s personal data.

Source: Count on Mothers, Mothers' Views on the Protecting Kids on Social Media Act, June 2023. Community panel survey of U.S. mothers, n=318. Research led by a PhD-credentialed researcher. Findings cited in Congressional one-pagers on the Protecting Kids on Social Media Act (PKSMA) and the Kids Off Social Media Act (KOSMA).

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Methodology
Count on Mothers conducts nationally representative research with U.S. mothers, weighted to reflect the population and reported in aggregate. Research is led by a PhD + MPH team. Findings have informed policy, industry, and media, and entered the Congressional Record on childcare, paid leave, and technology policy.
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