Bill that would ban social media for NC kids could come with unintended impacts

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Chi and Max StewartIsaacs are the young brothers behind ChiMax, an educational card game they created after adapting a game their adult sisters used to play.

The idea came together three or four years ago. Chi StewartIsaacs said the inspiration struck while working with his family. "My dad and I and Max were like, Why don't we make this into, like, a game?" he said.

Now 8 and 5 years old, the brothers have turned that idea into a business. They recently appeared at Amazon Entrepreneur Day and maintain an online presence that includes a YouTube page documenting life as kids in North Carolina.

That visibility could be threatened by a bill moving through the state Legislature that would ban children under 14 from having social media accounts. House Bill 301 would also require parental permission for 15 and 16-year-olds to use social media.

Parent Michael StewartIsaacs said the intent behind the legislation is understandable but misguided. "No one's judging people try to make laws protect our children. The problem is sometimes we have a misconception about where the world is changing and shifting," he said.

Asked whether the bill goes too far, StewartIsaacs responded, "Absolutely."

Both Michael and Shameikka StewartIsaacs say they support responsible social media use but worry about unintended consequences for young people building businesses and communities online.

"It makes me think of all the young entrepreneurs that would be impacted by that with us having our sons and them having their own game," Shameikka StewartIsaacs said. "We've met so many other youth entrepreneurs that are thriving on social media, especially when it comes to TikTok."

Federal data highlight how common social media use is among young people. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, 95% of teenagers ages 13 to 17 use social media, with more than a third using it almost constantly. Forty percent of children ages 8 to 12 are also on social media platforms.

Some parents say those numbers raise concerns. One father of two said social media can put unnecessary stress on children. "Kids under 14 age-wise, there are things they don't need to experience," he said.

In a conversation held just yesterday, licensed psychologist Dr. Anthony Smith of Alsace Enrichment Center said he would delay social media use for his own children. "If it were me, I would not have my child on social media at least until 16 if it were me. I think that there are other things that they can engage in," Smith said.

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Smith added that children can pay a high price for exposure to the darker sides of social media.

The StewartIsaacs family says their experience online has been largely positive and plans to continue showing up on social media. "There's more positive that will always come out of a new tool. It's all about the people and how we use it. And I think that's the key," Michael StewartIsaacs said.

The bill now moves to the Senate Judiciary Committee. If it becomes law, violators could face penalties including a $50,000 fine.