Michigan Teens Might Soon Have a Social Media ‘Bedtime’

It’s almost a right of passage for teenagers to stay up late doing things they aren’t supposed to. It used to be sneaking out late to go somewhere after bedtime, for us millennials it was late night AIM chats, and now with Gen Z, it’s scrolling into the wee hours.

Michigan lawmakers are proposing a statewide “social media curfew” aimed trying to stop or limit late-night scrolling for teenagers. The legislation would require platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat to block access for users under 18 who live in the state of Michigan, between midnight and 6am.

Why is Michigan pushing for a social media curfew for teens?

The bills are part of a larger push to address how tech use is affecting young people, especially when it comes to sleep, mental health, and school performance.

Along with the proposed curfew, the proposed law would also require platforms to get parental consent before allowing minors to open accounts, and implement stricter age verification features.

Another bill in the package would require all Michigan public schools to adopt clear policies on student cell phone use during the school day. Lawmakers say the goal is to help students focus in class and cut down on digital distractions on their phones.

While a lot of parents are for the idea, many have pointed how just exactly how difficult this would be to implement. While I think it could help some students, the normal offenders will likely be savvy enough to avoid the fail-safes, making it an expensive idea that may not even work.

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These bills are obviously still in the early stages and will need to pass through several steps before becoming law, but the conversation they’ve started is sparking strong opinions across our state.