A bipartisan majority of Americans wants stronger government oversight of social media companies, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released Sunday. The survey found that 61% support firmer rules for the industry, including 71% of Democrats and 62% of Republicans.
Support was even higher for protections aimed at children. About 66% backed laws requiring platforms to use age-verification tools to keep children under 16 from accessing social media, while 85% said the platforms can be addictive for children and a similar share expressed concern about effects on youth mental health.
The findings arrive as social media companies face growing legal and legislative pressure. More than a dozen states have adopted rules governing minors’ access, while industry groups have challenged some age-verification laws on free-speech grounds. Congress has not yet passed nationwide child-safety legislation for social media.
The online poll surveyed 4,505 U.S. adults over six days ending August 3 and had a margin of error of about two percentage points.
Source: Reuters/Ipsos, August 9, 2026.
