Munroe’s social media safety bill voted out of committee
Rep. Brian Munroe March 19, 2024
Munroe’s social media safety bill voted out of committee
HARRISBURG, March 19 – A bill aimed at keeping teenagers and young children safe on social media that was written by state Rep. Brian Munroe and three teenagers from his district was approved by the House Consumer Protection, Technology & Utilities Committee today.
“We are one step closer today to helping to protect our children on social media as a result of this vote today,” Munroe said. “I look forward to the full House voting on this bill, which will hopefully happen shortly."
Munroe crafted the legislation after meeting Max Jin, Luka Jonjic and Dylan Schwartz when they were students at Tamanend Middle School in 2023. The three, who are now students at Central Bucks High School South, won an award from C-SPAN for their documentary, America’s Silent
Struggle: Social Media’s Impact on Teens’ Mental Health.
“I believe the movement of H.B. 2017 out of committee is a symbolic step toward a brighter future online,” Jinn said. “And I am grateful that we now have a direct opportunity to ensure the safety and mental well-being of our fellow teens when they use social media. It also provides me with a sense of hope that it is truly possible to instill meaningful change and that our actions today may help prevent harmful situations from taking place online in the future.”
House Bill 2017 is bipartisan legislation that would put the following safeguards in place:
- Require social media companies to monitor the chats of two or more minors on the platform and notify parents or legal guardians of flagged sensitive or graphic content.
- Strengthen proof-of-age verification on social media platforms by requiring consent from a parent or legal guardian for anyone younger than 16 to open a social media account and notify parents or legal guardians if a child under 16 opens a social media account without consent.
- Prohibit data mining for users under the age of 18 and allow any individual to request the deletion of data that was mined while they were under the age of 18.
“In many ways, social media has become an essential part of our daily lives, but its negative impact on our mental health is not fully recognized,” Jonjic said. “Through the passing of this bill, I hope that problems with mental health caused by social media can be prevented and that it gives us teenagers a space to safely express who we are.”
Added Schwartz, “This legislation means the world to me, as it stands for the hope that kids who are suffering as I had are going to be protected online. As well, it symbolizes the hope that other struggling teens can realize that there are people out there who care for them and want them to be safe.”
The bill now heads the full House chamber for consideration.
Munroe represents the 144th Legislative District comprised of Ivyland, Warmister, Warrington and part of New Britain Township.
###rjb/2024/mjh
l:\print\releases\SocialMediaBillPassesCommittee.144
|
CONTACT: Ryan Bevitz
House Democratic Communications Office
Phone: 717-787-7895
Email: rbevitz@pahouse.net
|