Rahm Emanuel, 65, a veteran Democrat politician, is applauding Australia for banning social media sites, such as TikTok and Instagram, for kids 16 years and younger.
“I think it's time for America to pick up its game and do the same,” Emanuel states in a minute-long video on X. The video published Dec. 9, the same day the Australian law came into effect.
When it comes to what he calls "our adolescents," referring to kids in the U.S., Emanuel claims either adults or algorithms will raise them. So setting age restrictions, he argues, would help parents.
"It's too much for a parent to push against Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, all the other social media apps," said Emanuel. "Our kids are way too vulnerable. It's too addictive, too alluring."
Emanuel’s sudden advocacy on behalf parents comes after he criticized the current state of public education, an unheard-of stance for a Democrat, back in October. The answer to “why” might be the former congressman, and former Chicago mayor, is positioning himself as a moderate for 2028 and the Democratic nomination.
Emanuel, 65, has stated publicly he is “looking at the field” in reference to potentially running for president.
The longtime Democrat may be best known for his candid comment in 2008 about using political power.
“You never want a serious crisis to go to waste,” he said, referring at the time to the banking collapse and the related housing market crash.
In the X video, Emanuel compared the age restriction to schools yanking phones out of classrooms and laws restricting tobacco purchases.
"Protect our children. Help our parents,” he urged. “Strengthen our families and restrict all the social media when it comes to access to kids and adolescents 16 and younger."
