The Protecting Kids on Social Media Act and Age Verification
In an era of political polarization, a group of senators has joined forces in an effort to protect children online. As technology continues to advance and the digital world becomes increasingly pervasive in our lives, protecting our youngest users has become a priority for lawmakers. In response to increasing concerns over the influence social media has on children, four senators have proposed the Protecting Kids on Social Media Act of 2023. If this bill is passed, children under the age of 13 would be prohibited from using social media platforms unless their guardian provides consent. However, the efficacy of age verification is still a significant problem. The efficacy of age verification, or lack thereof, leads to questions from the opposition over the bill’s ability to protect our younger users from the dangers of social media.
What does the Protecting Kids on Social Media Act entail?
This bipartisan Senate bill, introduced by Democratic Senators Brian Schatz of Hawaii and Chris Murphy of Connecticut along with Republican Senators Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Katie Britt of Alabama, aims to restrict access to social media platforms for children under the age of 13. Under Section 3, the bill’s provisions include social media platforms being required to use reasonable steps beyond requiring a date of birth to verify the age of account holders. Section 4 states social media platforms shall not permit someone to use their platform unless the individual is believed to be 13 years old or older, according to age verification. Furthermore, under Section 5, social media platforms shall require the consent of a parent or guardian to create an account for someone the platform believes to be a minor (Schatz, 2023).
Senators believe parents will overcome tech lobby
The four senators behind the introduction of the bill predict that parents will overcome the tech lobby’s reluctance to protect children from the dangers of social media (Walsh, 2023). In an interview with National Public Radio, Senators Britt and Murphy emphasized the importance of stricter regulations in order to ensure children can be safe online (Jones, 2023). They argue that the interests of the technology industry often do not align with the interests of parents and their children. The technology industry is interested in limiting restrictions on accessing social media platforms so as to maximize the audience they will be able to reach. On the other hand, policymakers and parents are interested in increasing restrictions on technology, especially for those of a younger age. Both policymakers and parents argue that a lack of restrictions on technology leads to safety issues, including mental and physical safety, therefore this bill is essential in developing positive change. Moreover, there is an immediate need for stricter restrictions.
The Efficacy of Age Verification
Although the bill plans to ensure the safety of children online, the efficacy of age verification remains a hindrance. According to the Wall Street Journal, age verification has been difficult for websites to effectively implement. The most common method for verifying someone’s age is asking them to check a box stating they are 18 years of age or older (Snow, 2022). The ability to provide false information along with the unwillingness to share personal data for the verification process contributes to the hindrance of developing reliable age verification. However, the most recent advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI), could have the ability to improve the accuracy and non-invasiveness of age verification. The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) suggests that Artificial Intelligence-based methods such as behavior analysis and facial recognition could verify users’ ages by providing a more accurate and less invasive solution (Johnson, 2023). This less invasive method would not only increase accuracy but would increase online safety among children. By strengthening the efficacy of age verification, the goal of the Protecting Kids on Social Media Act to restrict social media access for children under 13 would be more easily attainable.
Conclusion
As the Protecting Kids on Social Media Act continues to move forward, senators must carefully balance children’s safety along with concerns about privacy and limitations on technology. Since age verification is a critical component of the bill, its efficacy will determine the success of the bill in achieving its purpose. The support of parents and advocacy groups will be crucial in overcoming the tech lobby’s resistance to limiting social media access for younger children. By collaborating with advocates and parents, these senators can succeed in overcoming the resistance of the tech lobby and work towards creating a non-invasive online environment for children. Now, more than ever, it is essential for the safety and privacy of our youngest social media users to be ensured. As technology continues to advance and becomes increasingly intertwined with our daily lives, it is necessary for more accurate and less intrusive methods of age verification to be implemented. Overall, the bipartisan support behind the Protecting Kids on Social Media Act expresses the significance of prioritizing the safety of children in this new digital era. This bill has the opportunity to produce meaningful change in regard to protecting online safety. Currently, the bill is waiting to be voted on by the senate and is predicted to pass. If passed, the Protecting Kids on Social Media Act will take into effect a year after it is enacted.
Works Cited
Th St Congress Session S. LL. (n.d.). Retrieved May 7, 2023, from https://www.schatz.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/protecting_kids_on_social_media_act_2023.pdf?source=email
Jones, D. (2023, April 28). Kids under 13 would be barred from social media under bipartisan Senate bill. NPR. Retrieved May 6, 2023, from https://www.npr.org/2023/04/28/1172098173/social-media-kids-senate-bill
Walsh, D. (2023, May 5). Bipartisan senators predict parents will overcome tech lobby to protect Kids Online. NPR. Retrieved May 6, 2023, from https://www.npr.org/2023/05/05/1173683051/bipartisan-senators-predict-parents-will-overcome-tech-lobby-to-protect-kids-onl%C2%A0
Tjia/WSJ, S. (2022, February 28). Why age verification is so difficult for websites. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved May 6, 2023, from https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-age-verification-is-difficult-for-websites-11645829728
Johnson, A. (n.d.). Ai could make age verification more accurate and less invasive. RSS. Retrieved May 6, 2023, from https://itif.org/publications/2023/04/05/ai-could-make-age-verification-more-accurate-and-less-invasive/
