Bill > AR115

Introduced Session

This resolution urges Congress and the President of the United States to enact the "Kids Online Safety Act." Social media use is associated with poor mental health outcomes for minors. Social media platforms are designed to promote addictive behavior patterns, encouraging its users to engage with social media more frequently and for a greater length of time. As a result, over the past decade, the rate of social media use has risen significantly among both tween (children between the ages of 8 and 12 years old) and teenage (children between the ages of 13 and 17 years old) populations. Simultaneously, the prevalence of mental illness among children and adolescents has grown at an alarming rate. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 36.7 percent of adolescents aged 12 to 17 report feeling sad or hopeless, 18.8 percent have seriously considered attempting suicide, and 15.7 percent have developed a suicide plan. A seminal 2020 psychological study found strong associations between increased social media use and higher rates of mental illness among minors, especially adolescent girls. Since then, several studies have published findings to support the negative impact of social media on depression, anxiety, and body dysmorphia among children and adolescents. Despite this growing wealth of research, the social media sector has yet to meaningfully address the mental health impact of its technology on minors. The "Kids Online Safety Act" was introduced by United States Senator Richard Blumenthal and various cosponsors and would promote data safety, prevent and mitigate patterns of use that indicate or encourage addictive behaviors, expand parental control features, and require social media platforms to prevent promotion of harmful material for minors. By enacting the "Kids Online Safety Act," Congress and the President of the United States can address the growing mental health crisis associated with social media use among children and adolescents.

Committee Categories

Al Barlas (R)*,  Chris DePhillips (R)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Science, Innovation and Technology Committee (on 02/27/2024)

Official Document