Mass. House pushes nation's toughest youth social media ban
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Beacon Hill is moving toward some of the nation's toughest restrictions on young people using technology, but the "Big 3" Democrats in charge aren't entirely on the same page.
Why it matters: Unless Senate President Karen Spilka, House Speaker Ron Mariano and Gov. Maura Healey align, there won't be a youth tech law passed before the start of the next school year.
State of play: The Senate passed a bell-to-bell school cellphone ban in July 2025. The House is set to vote this week on a version that keeps that ban and adds sweeping social media regulations for young people.
- Both chambers agree on banning devices during the school day, carving out exemptions for students with special needs.
Yes, but: The House would go much further by creating an age verification system for social networks and by barring children under 14 from social media platforms entirely.
- The House would also require parental consent for 14- and 15-year-olds to use social media.
The big picture: Those social media provisions would be among the most restrictive in the country, according to House leaders.
- Healey, who investigated Facebook and Instagram for targeting minors when she was attorney general, has backed the school day device ban and the House's crackdown on youth social media use.
The intrigue: Healey had scheduled a Tuesday press conference to introduce her own protections for teens on social media but pulled it off her schedule that morning.
Between the lines: Healey's Education Secretary Pat Tutwiler has downplayed parents' concerns about contacting students in emergencies, saying he's never seen a case where a school failed a parent trying to reach a child in a crisis.
What's next: With the House vote imminent, both chambers will need to reconcile their differences on whether to restrict kids from social media before a bill can reach Healey's desk.