Jennifer Garner Discusses Banning Her Kids From Social Media: ‘My Eldest Is Grateful’

Actress Jennifer Garner recently discussed her decision to ban her three children from using social media, and revealed that her eldest daughter is appreciative of the rule.

During an appearance on the April 11 episode of “TODAY,” Garner, who shares three children with ex-husband Ben Affleck, explained, “I just said to my kids, ‘Show me the articles that prove that social media is good for teenagers, and then we’ll have the conversation.’ Find scientific evidence that matches what I have that says that it’s not good for teenagers, then we’ll chat.”

The 50-year-old actress also mentioned that her daughter Violet, 17, is grateful for the decision, stating, “It’s a long haul. I have a couple more to go, so just knock on wood. We’ll see if I really hang in there.”

Garner was promoting her new project, “The Last Thing He Told Me,” which is centered around motherhood and draws on her own experiences as a mother of teenagers. The actress also spoke about being deeply embarrassing to her children, a sentiment echoed by fellow celebrity parent Penelope Cruz, who has also implemented strict screen time and social media rules for her two children.

Cruz has expressed how she believes such rules are necessary for protecting children’s mental health during this era of overwhelming technology use, especially among teenagers.