Senate Bill 351, which is currently being petitioned by Georgia’s Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones and sponsored by Senator Jason Anavitarte, would require social media platforms to “make commercially reasonable efforts” to determine a user’s age. Under the new bill, Georgians under the age of 16 would be considered minors and could be required by law to get permission from their parents or legal guardians before logging onto social media. In terms of data collection, which has been a growing issue of prevalence in recent years, companies including Meta, Instagram and X would be restricted from collecting user information from and advertising to minors.
The bill also seeks to update rules in regard to cyberbullying, suggesting regulatory requirements for all districts throughout the state. If enacted into law, all districts will be required to establish a policy banning students from accessing social media on school-provided devices. Additionally, the state’s Department of Education will work to develop a comprehensive program that promotes both safe and responsible internet use, updating every year depending on how technology develops.
Approximately 95% of teens aged 13 to 17 report using a social media platform, with over a third stating they access them 'almost constantly.'"
“Since we announced this initiative in August, Senator Anavitarte and I have worked with industry and education leaders, online safety advocates and legal experts to craft this legislation, and we will continue working with them as this process moves forward. We believe SB 351 is an important step forward in protecting Georgia’s children and giving them the tools they need to be safe in their use of social media and other technologies,” stated Jones, as originally reported by WABE Atlanta.
In order to comply with federal regulations, social media companies already ban children under 13 from accessing or building a profile on said platforms. But, as time has shown us all too well, children often have a knack for not following the rules. According to the Pew Research Center, approximately 95% of teens aged 13 to 17 report using a social media platform, with over a third stating they access them “almost constantly.” Data aside, at this time, free speech advocates nationwide are warning that regulatory measures such as SB 351 could prompt websites to wall off once publicly accessible information. Additionally, if enacted, the new law could also lead platforms to require people to input or scan their ID to verify age.
Rachel Holland, a spokesperson for Meta, which owns and operates the widely used platforms Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, stated: “Parents want to be involved in their teen’s online lives, and they need simple ways to oversee the many apps their teens use. However, U.S. states are passing a patchwork of laws with different requirements to use certain apps. That’s why we support federal legislation that requires app stores to get parents’ approval whenever their teens under 16 download apps. We’re grateful for our partnership with Georgia policymakers and look forward to continuing to work closely with them to safeguard teens and empower parents.”
