As the Supreme Court dons its metaphorical hoodie and steps into its teenage era, one thing is clear: America’s youth have front-row seats to a judicial circus that directly impacts their lives but seldom includes their voices. From TikTok bans to vaping regulations, it seems the Court has grounded teenagers without even inviting them to the dinner table conversation.
TikTok: The Government’s Favorite Scapegoat
Remember when TikTok was just about dance challenges and recipes for feta pasta? Those were the days. Now, it’s a battleground for national security concerns—or so Congress says. The Supreme Court is tasked with deciding the fate of an app that 17% of teenagers reportedly use “almost constantly.” But instead of focusing on how this decision will disrupt Gen Z’s social life, the justices are debating whether TikTok’s Chinese ownership poses a spy thriller-level threat.
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Kailey Corum, a high school junior, put it best: “I don’t put exactly full faith into it.” A diplomatic way of saying she wouldn’t trust the Supreme Court to babysit her goldfish.
Vaping: Because Teenagers Definitely Needed Another PSA
Speaking of grounding teenagers, the Court is also set to weigh in on whether the FDA can yank vaping products off the shelves. While 19% of high schoolers vaped in 2020, the focus isn’t on their health. No, the debate is about whether the FDA followed proper legal protocols. Because nothing says “we care about kids” like a bureaucratic squabble over paperwork.
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Justice Clarence Thomas, playing devil’s advocate, questioned whether bans like Tennessee’s on gender-affirming care are about age or morality. Maybe next he’ll ask whether teens prefer chocolate or vanilla ice cream. Spoiler alert: It’s both.
Culture Wars Disguised as Concern
The Supreme Court is smack in the middle of America’s favorite pastime: culture wars. Whether it’s banning books, restricting gender-affirming care, or demanding age verification for adult websites, state lawmakers are using teenagers as pawns in a larger ideological chess game.
Take Texas, for example, where a law requiring age verification for adult sites is being framed as a heroic effort to “protect kids.” The porn industry, naturally, calls it a First Amendment violation. Because who knew the Constitution would be dragged into a debate about safeguarding minors from prurient content?
Disillusionment Nation: Teens vs. The Supreme Court
Here’s the kicker: Gen Z doesn’t trust the Supreme Court. A Gallup-Walton survey revealed that 44% of voting-age Gen Z’ers have “very little” trust in the Court. And who can blame them? Cases that will directly impact their lives—like Tennessee’s transgender care ban—don’t even prioritize their voices.
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Pediatricians, advocacy groups, and even some legal experts are crying foul. Yet the Court remains focused on whether state lawmakers have overstepped their bounds rather than whether their decisions are actually in the best interests of teenagers.
What Do Teens Really Think?
Virginia high schooler Spencer Rahim sums it up: TikTok bans? Not a big deal if you know how to skirt the system. But the broader issue? “They need to listen to the people a little bit more,” he says.
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Teenagers may be savvy enough to bypass TikTok bans and laugh at vaping restrictions, but their growing disillusionment with government institutions is no laughing matter. If the Supreme Court is entering its teenage phase, perhaps it should take a cue from the real teenagers it claims to be protecting: less judgment, more listening, and maybe, just maybe, a little humility.
The Court’s decisions in the coming months will either solidify its status as the ultimate helicopter parent or prove it’s willing to grow up and engage meaningfully with the next generation. Here’s hoping for the latter.
