Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley last week introduced a bill that would ban kids under 16 from using social media.
Right now, the minimum age to sign up on most social media sites is 13. Hawley’s proposed legislation would raise that age to 16.
His bill would also require users to prove their date of birth by submitting government-issued documentation. If social media companies refused to comply, parents would have the right to sue.
“Children suffer every day from the effects of social media," Hawley said in a statement. "At best, Big Tech companies are neglecting our children’s health and monetizing their personal information. At worst, they are complicit in their exploitation and manipulation. It’s time to give parents the weapons they need to strike back."
Kansas City Star reporter Daniel Desrochers told KCUR's Up To Date on Tuesday the bill has received criticism partially because the ID requirement would give social media companies even more access to kids’ private information.
"Tech moves so much faster than Congress moves," Desrochers said.
Desrochers also said the likelihood of this bill passing is slim to none.
“The purpose of this bill is so Sen. Hawley can say, ‘Look, this is what I proposed to address this problem.’ And then there's little action that follows after it," Desrochers said. "It's a way to get a conversation going and it's a way for him to kind of campaign on this ideal of him being hard on social media companies.”
- Daniel Desrochers, Kansas City Star Washington correspondent
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