Colorado Gov. Polis Advocates for Parental Control Over Children's Social Media Use, Rejecting State-Imposed Restrictions
Gov. Jared Polis (D) has made a surprising move away from his party's line, arguing in a recent interview that parents, not the government, should be responsible for managing their children's social media use.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) appearance on NBC News's "Meet the Press” to discuss "America's Mental Health Crisis."
"I think the responsibility belongs with parents, not the government," Polis said during Sunday’s appearance on NBC News's "Meet the Press." The Colorado governor was addressing a question about the possibility of imposing more government mandated restrictions on social media.
Polis, a father of two, shared his personal approach to the issue: "I have a 12-year-old and a nine-year-old. We don't allow them on social media yet. We'll be having the conversation with our 12-year-old son soon, and in an appropriate way, allowing him to access that."
Crossing swords with the progressives of his party, Polis added, "But I think really, fundamentally, the state can't be the parents for kids."
The interview was part of NBC's special "America's Mental Health Crisis," and also featured Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R). Both governors, serving as chair and vice chair of the National Governors Association (NGA) respectively, have initiated a "Disagree Better" campaign that promotes the importance of civic unity and healthy debate.
Notably, Cox has taken a more assertive stance than Polis in managing the negative impacts of social media in his state. During the interview, he emphasized the toxic consequences of social media and drew parallels between his state's handling of social media companies and its approach to tobacco companies.
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Polis, however, maintained his stance that the onus lies with parents. He stated, "I certainly agree with the diagnosis that Governor Cox did, and I have some sympathy for that approach. But I do think at the end of the day, the government can't parent kids. It's really up to the responsibility of parents to step up."
He continued, "Many parents don't understand the full threat of different social media for their kids. And I think more parents need to step up and take on that responsibility."
Polis's remarks mark a shift from the increasing trend of government intervention in technology use, especially among progressive Democrats, suggesting that the solution lies not in state-imposed restrictions, but in parental guidance and education.