A majority of voters in New Jersey think children’s mental health is a very serious (58%) or somewhat serious (31%) problem today, and 91% think social media is having a major impact. Most voters (77%) are very concerned about children being exposed to harmful content online.

That concern is translating into strong support for government action. Three in four voters (75%) support stronger regulations to protect kids online, even if it limits some online freedoms, while 17% prioritize protecting online freedom over additional safeguards.

The findings come as New Jersey policymakers intensify efforts to address the impact of social media on young people, an issue that has been a central focus for Gov. Mikie Sherrill.

A package of bills recently introduced in the Legislature would require online platforms to implement stricter default privacy settings for minors, limit certain advertising practices targeting underage users and introduce “black box” warning labels about mental health risks.

According to the poll, as many as 93% favor requiring social media companies to meet stronger data privacy standards for minors, 88% support requiring social media companies to display warning labels on content that may negatively affect children’s mental health, and 79% support increased funding for school-based mental health services in New Jersey.

Voters view online safety as a shared responsibility with 68% saying both social media companies and parents should be equally responsible for protecting kids online, compared to 19% who say parents should be primarily responsible and 12% who put the onus mostly on technology companies.

“There’s a clear political appetite for holding social media companies more accountable when it comes to protecting children online and addressing the youth mental health crisis that’s emerged in recent years,” said Alyssa Maurice, assistant director of the Hughes Center. “Legislation often lags behind technology, and the poll shows voters want these guardrails prioritized.”

During a recent news conference, Gov. Sherrill highlighted proposals to invest in a new Social Media Research Center and establish an Office of Youth Online Mental Health Safety and Awareness, while signaling support for stricter safeguards on how platforms design and deliver content to minors. Her policy platform has also called for greater oversight of social media algorithms.

Among the poll respondents, 70% were at least somewhat familiar with how AI-driven algorithms are used by social media platforms to recommend content, and 74% were in favor of increased government oversight of how AI is used to suggest content to children, while 18% opposed.

Support for stronger protections cuts broadly across the electorate, with parents and nonparents alike expressing similar levels of concern and support for oversight. Notably, there was also bipartisan agreement on nearly every measure. However, one area where Democrats and Republicans diverged by 34 percentage points was on spending for mental health services, with 93% of Democrats in support of increasing funding for school-based services versus 59% of Republicans.

Women were also concerned about children’s mental health and online safety at higher rates than men and demonstrated higher levels of support for oversight. However, majorities across genders expressed concern about this issue and backed the proposed safeguards.

The poll of 642 registered voters was sponsored and conducted by the Hughes Center for Public Policy from April 21-27. The poll’s margin of error is +/- 3.9 percentage points.

View the full poll results and methodology here.

About the Hughes Center

The William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University serves as a catalyst for research, analysis and innovative policy solutions on the economic, social and cultural issues facing New Jersey, and promotes civic life through engagement, education and research. The nonpartisan center is named for the late William J. Hughes, whose distinguished career includes service in the U.S. House of Representatives, Ambassador to Panama, and as a Distinguished Visiting Professor at Stockton. The Hughes Public Policy Center can be found on YouTube @StocktonPublicPolicyCenter, and can be followed on Instagram @hughespublicpolicycenter, Facebook @StocktonHughesCenter and X @HughesCenter.