Keywords: artificial intelligence, youth, deliberative polling, social media

This paper examines young voters’ perspectives on social media and AI regulation based on results from America in One Room: The Youth Vote, a national Deliberative Poll. Participants evaluated proposals addressing social media’s influence on mental health, content moderation, and youth usage restrictions. However, the findings revealed a strong preference for personal freedom and digital autonomy, with skepticism toward restrictive measures.

For instance, a proposal to use AI for moderating harmful content on social media garnered limited support, ending at 39%, reflecting concerns about overreach, inefficacy, and potential bias in AI systems. Similarly, a proposal requiring parental consent for users under 16 lost significant support after deliberation, dropping from 55% to 39%, as participants valued autonomy for younger users and questioned the feasibility of enforcing such a policy.

Other measures aimed at increasing youth safety online also faced resistance. Support for an annual digital literacy and privacy test for 13-18-year-olds declined from 42% to 35%, suggesting participants found it intrusive or ineffective. Time-based restrictions on social media notifications were met with even stronger opposition; proposals to ban notifications for users under 18 between midnight and 6 a.m., or during school hours, both saw support plummet to 12%. These results highlight a consistent reluctance to adopt blanket restrictions that participants viewed as impractical or overly controlling.

The deliberations underscore a nuanced view among first-time voters. While participants acknowledged the potential harms of social media, such as mental health risks and overexposure, they expressed a clear preference for policies that empower individuals rather than impose rigid controls. Limited support for AI-driven moderation also reflects concerns about transparency, bias, and the reliability of automated systems in addressing complex issues like harmful content.

Overall, these findings suggest that young voters prioritize education, empowerment, and autonomy over restrictive policies when addressing the challenges of social media and AI. Policymakers crafting regulations for the digital age must consider this balance between safeguarding well-being and preserving personal freedoms to resonate with the next generation of internet users.