Pinterest CEO Bill Ready said governments should ban or restrict social media use for children under 16 [3].
This position is significant because it comes from the head of a major platform, signaling a shift toward accepting government regulation to protect minors from digital harms.
Ready spoke on the issue during the Milken Institute Global Conference held at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California [1, 2]. He described the current state of digital interaction for youth as a precarious environment. "Children today are living through the largest social experiment in history," Ready said.
While some reports suggest Ready is advocating for a total ban for those under 16 [3], other accounts indicate he supports making platforms private for users in that age bracket [2]. Despite the difference in the specific mechanism of restriction, Ready said that the current model of social media is fundamentally flawed for young adolescents.
"As both a CEO and a parent, I believe we need to be honest: social media as it exists today is not safe for kids under 16," Ready said.
Beyond regulatory advocacy, Ready discussed his personal history as a foundation for his current leadership style. He noted that his upbringing provided him with a sense of resilience that helps him navigate the challenges of leading Pinterest. He said this background equips him to make difficult executive decisions and manage the complexities of the tech industry.
Ready's comments align with a growing global movement to implement age-verification tools and stricter parental controls on apps. By framing the issue as a public health and safety concern, he positions Pinterest as a company willing to prioritize user well-being over unrestricted growth in the youth demographic.
“"Children today are living through the largest social experiment in history,"”
Ready's advocacy represents a strategic pivot where industry leaders may support regulation to preempt more drastic legislative crackdowns. By admitting that platforms are not safe for young teens, Pinterest may be attempting to lead the conversation on safety standards, potentially creating a regulatory environment that favors platforms with stricter safety protocols over those with more permissive growth strategies.
