More states are implementing or considering phone bans in schools following guidance from the U.S. Surgeon General on children and social media.

An online education company, Test Prep Insight, conducted a state-by-state survey that asked 3,000 parents what the minimum age should be for children to safely use social media.

Research revealed that, on average, parents think children should be at least 14 to own a social media account. For parents in New York, they stated the age limit should be 15 -- which is above the national average.

Some states showed parents favored stricter age limits. Parents in Maine, North Dakota and Utah supported a minimum age of 16. The most lenient views came from Wyoming where parents felt 12 was an appropriate age.

This survey comes after Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued an advisory on the effects social media has on youth mental health in May 2023. "The most common question parents ask me is, 'is social media safe for my kids'. The answer is that we don't have enough evidence to say it's safe, and in fact, there is growing evidence that social media use is associated with harm to young people's mental health," Murthy said.

The advisory sparked a surge in calls from lawmakers across the U.S. demanding more stringent regulations on children's access to online content.

In June 2024, Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law New York Senate Bill 7694-A, known as the SAFE for Kids Act. The law restricts the use of addictive algorithms on social media platforms for users under 18 unless they have parental consent.

Matt Ross of Test Prep Insight says the results of the survey are meant to show the importance of coming up with solutions. "Parents across the nation are clearly worried about the influence of social media on their children," says Ross. "From more stringent age restrictions to enhanced education on responsible online behavior, there's a real opportunity to protect and empower the next generation as they navigate this digital landscape".