The new moral panic: Social media 

This year, my home state of Florida joined several other states in banning youth access to social media.  

Thus far, these bans have been halted by the courts on First Amendment grounds, but I expect we’ll see these cases move up through higher courts. The bans (as well as multiple lawsuits) are predicated on the belief that using social media causes mental health harm to youth. But the outcomes of these cases may hinge upon the research evidence. 

Many parents and policymakers...