FTC Mandated to Study Social Media's Impact on Under-17s: Report Due in 3 Years

If you’ve ever wondered what the government is doing about the constant debate over kids and social media, this bill is the answer: they’re starting with homework. The Safe Social Media Act doesn't ban anything or create new rules—it mandates a massive, deep-dive study into how individuals under the age of 17 are using social media platforms.

This isn't some quick survey. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), working with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), has been tasked with investigating nearly every angle of teenage social media use. They have to look at what personal information is being collected, how those platform algorithms are using that data, and the role of targeted advertising. They also need to track how often kids are logging on and, crucially, the mental health effects linked to this extended use. Basically, they're building the definitive case file on the digital lives of minors.

The Data Deep Dive: What the FTC Has to Find

This study’s scope is broad, which is actually a good thing if the goal is informed policy. The FTC must dig into the specifics of data collection (Section 2). Think about it: if your 15-year-old is scrolling, the study wants to know exactly what data points—from location to interests—the platform is pulling. More importantly, it requires the FTC to analyze how the algorithms use that collected personal information. This is the black box everyone talks about; the study aims to open it up and see how content is fed to teens and how that impacts them.

For parents and public health advocates, the most critical part is the mandate to study the mental health effects and the potential harmful effects and benefits resulting from extended social media use. This moves the conversation beyond anecdote and into hard data, which is essential for crafting effective solutions down the line.

Defining the Digital Playground

One of the first things a bill like this needs to do is define its target. The Act defines a “social media platform” as a public-facing website or app that primarily offers a space for users to generate and share content, like messages, videos, and images (Section 3). This is straightforward and covers the big players.

Crucially, the bill explicitly excludes two things: broadband internet access services and electronic mail services. This means the bill won't accidentally rope in your internet provider (like Comcast or Spectrum) or your Gmail account. This clarity is important because it focuses the study squarely on the content-sharing platforms, not the pipes that deliver the internet.

The Clock is Ticking (Slowly)

The FTC and HHS have a three-year deadline to complete this massive study and submit a report to Congress, including any recommended policy changes. That’s a long runway, but given the complexity of the data and the number of platforms involved, it makes sense. It means any legislative action based on this research is still a few years out.

One interesting administrative detail: the bill explicitly states that standard federal paperwork review procedures (known as the Paperwork Reduction Act) do not apply to this section. Normally, this review ensures federal agencies minimize the burden of information requests. By waiving this, the FTC can move faster, but it also removes a layer of oversight on the administrative burden placed on the agencies—and potentially on the platforms they study. For the average person, this just means the study might get off the ground quicker, but it’s a detail that policy wonks always notice.