People sit at tables at the Mall in Columbia, Friday, May 12, 2023, in Columbia, Md. The mall has implemented a"Parental Guidance Required" program, which requires that all visitors under 18 be accompanied by an adult who is at least 21-years-old after 4 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
But experts say Garden State Plaza joins a growing number of shopping centers, amusement parks and even a few restaurants that have implemented similar policies in the last few months ahead of the summer season. And they all cite increased incidents of bad behavior among teens as the reason, some of it inspired by social media like TikTok.
Shopping malls, hanging out at amusement parks, grabbing a shake at a fast-food joint and watching a movie at a local theater with friends are still long considered the rites of passage to adulthood even as many teens shift to online games and social media. So the question is: What other public spaces can teens congregate to get away from their tablets and phones — as well as their parents?
Marshal Cohen, chief industry adviser at market research firm Circana, noted the policies aren't just about enhancing safety but adjusting to post-pandemic times, with teens markedly pulling back on purchases compared with other age groups. Meanwhile, several amusement parks with chaperone policies are generally requiring teens 15 years old or younger to be accompanied with adult chaperones after 3 p.m. or 4 p.m. every day. The largest group has been amusement park operator Cedar Fair Entertainment Co., which recently implemented adult chaperone policies for at least eight of its 13 parks including Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, Missouri, and King Dominion in Doswell, Virginia.
Source: Entertainment Trends (entertainmenttrends.net)
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