Japanese survey shows majority backs tighter social-media rules for children, teens least supportive

In a nationwide online poll conducted on May 20, the Children and Families Agency asked about 100,000 Japanese residents under 40 whether children should face usage limits on social networking services. Results indicated that a majority in every age and gender segment supports some form of restriction, with women aged 35-39 showing the highest approval at 71.7 %. By contrast, the 15-19 age group displayed the lowest endorsement, with 53.2 % of males and 59.7 % of females in favor, and support among 15-year-olds falling below half.

The survey also highlighted that younger respondents are more likely to report feeling bad about themselves when viewing others’ posts, especially females in the 15-19 bracket. An expert panel from the agency had earlier called for a debate on uniform age-based limits, and these findings are expected to inform future policy discussions.