California Governor Gavin Newsom wants to ban social media for teens under 16; Elon Musk reacts

social media

• California bill seeks to restrict social media for under-16s
• Newsom supports age-gating to protect teen mental health
• Elon Musk questions ID rules, sparking privacy debate

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California Governor Gavin Newsom has backed new legislative efforts aimed at restricting social media access for children under the age of 16, citing rising concerns around teen mental health, online safety, and excessive screen use. The proposal has quickly sparked political debate — and drawn a sharp reaction from Elon Musk.

Newsom backs age restrictions on social media

Newsom said the discussion around limiting children’s access to social media platforms is “long overdue,” pointing to personal experiences as a parent and broader research linking heavy social media use to anxiety and stress among teenagers.

California lawmakers have introduced a bipartisan bill that would establish minimum age requirements for opening and maintaining social media accounts. While the bill does not yet define a specific cutoff age, Newsom later confirmed his support for legislation that would effectively restrict platform access for users under 16.

The proposed approach focuses on “age-gating” systems — mechanisms that verify a user’s age before account creation — drawing inspiration from similar regulations implemented in countries such as Australia.

Newsom has also discussed the issue with international leaders, saying governments across the world are increasingly aligned on the need to regulate children’s exposure to social media platforms.

Public support and safety concerns

Supporters of the proposed restrictions argue that tighter controls could help curb online grooming, cyberbullying, and harmful content exposure. Recent polling in the US has shown growing public backing for limits on children’s social media access, particularly among parents.

Newsom reinforced this point in a social media post, stating that stricter rules would make it harder for predators to reach minors online.

“We have a generation that’s never been more anxious, less free, more stressed — and we have to address this issue,” the governor said.

Elon Musk’s reaction sparks debate

As the conversation around age restrictions gained momentum, Elon Musk weighed in with a broader critique of identification requirements and government policy.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Musk wrote:

“If requiring ID to vote is racist/sexist, as they falsely claim, then so is requiring ID for anything else, which they do all the time. The same people saying no ID for voting are the ones who demanded vaccination ID!”

While Musk did not directly oppose age verification for social media, his comments reframed the debate around personal freedoms, identification rules, and perceived political double standards.

The exchange highlights the growing tension between calls for stronger online protections for minors and concerns over privacy, government overreach, and digital rights.

As California moves forward with its legislative push, the outcome could shape how social media regulation evolves across the United States.