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Hey there --
Utah just passed two new laws under the auspices of protecting kids online, that actually just let Big Tech off the hook for addicting our children to their products.
Last week, Utah governor Spencer Cox signed the Social Media Regulation Act, which requires social media companies to [1]:
- Verify the age of any Utah resident who makes a social media profile and get parental consent for anyone under 18 who wishes to create a profile.
- Allow parents to access all posts, messages, and searches from their child’s account.
- Set a curfew on the use of social media for minors, locking them out of their social media accounts between 10:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. unless adjusted with the consent of a parent.
there, we want to be clear that we believe protecting kids online doesn’t mean removing them from online spaces. We all know young people will circumvent these restrictions and find a way to be on these platforms. And rather than putting the onus on individuals – whether young people or parents – to mitigate the harms of Big Tech’s platforms, we should just go right to the source and rein in Big Tech’s harms to kids.
Our focus is on legislation that will hold Big Tech companies accountable for designing safe online platforms for kids, like the Age Appropriate Design Code (AADC). Last September, California [[link removed]] was the first state to pass the AADC – a law that will protect the safety of children and teens by requiring online platforms that are likely to be accessed by children to prioritize their wellbeing, and make a higher level of privacy the default for kids. And other states are taking notice – bills inspired by the AADC are making their way through state legislatures in Maryland [[link removed]] and Minnesota [[link removed]] , gaining support from broad coalitions of legislators, community organizations, doctors, parents, and students.
The internet was not designed with kids, teens, and young adults in mind. But, momentum for change is on our side. Will you support this critical work by chipping in today? [[link removed]] [[link removed]] [[link removed]]
DONATE NOW [[link removed]]
Together we’re helping to drive a monumental shift in how people think about Big Tech’s responsibility for the harmful side effects of their toxic business model. It’s not up to us as internet users to learn how to navigate these platforms and their problems – it’s up to the companies to make their products safer by design. Chip in to support our work advocating for social media companies to design their products with young people in mind. [[link removed]]
A better online world is possible. It’s up to us to help shape it.
Onwards,
[[link removed]]
Nicole Gill
Co-founder and Executive Director
Accountable Tech
[1] NBC News: [link removed] [[link removed]] P.S. If you haven’t already, subscribe to our Close Friends [[link removed]] email list to get the most up-to-date news on Big Tech.
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