Iowa Gov. Candidate Rob Sand Proposes Ban on Social Media for Users Under 16

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand of Iowa released a tech‑safety plan that would prohibit children under age 16 from using social‑media platforms. The proposal calls for age‑verification and parental‑consent requirements at the app‑store level, bans infinite‑scroll feeds for minors, blocks targeted advertising and the sale of children’s data, and requires independent algorithm audits. It also would make minors’ accounts private by default and restrict location sharing and direct messaging with strangers.

Sand said the plan is modeled on Utah’s 2025 “App Store Accountability” Act and is intended to protect youth mental health, citing research that links social‑media use to negative outcomes. Recent juries have found Meta and Google liable for harming children, reinforcing the legal backdrop for his policy push. National polls show roughly six‑in‑ten adults support a ban for anyone under 16.