By: Burt Jones and Jason Anavitarte
We are both parents, and we’ve seen firsthand the pressure our children and their friends are under at school and in their social lives. Those challenges have been magnified by excessive social media use, which, for some children, has replaced healthy habits such as exercise and sleep. Experts and advocates from across the political spectrum, including the surgeon general, have argued that social media use has also exacerbated the teenage mental health crisis. Policymakers must prioritize solutions for our children, and the Georgia Senate is committed to leading the way.
Much like driving, access to cellphones and social media has become part of the rites of adolescence, and that’s here to stay. But teenagers are still children.
Social media touches every part of our daily lives, and while it certainly has its benefits, the possible negative effects it has on our children cannot be dismissed. When addressing mental health concerns, policymakers must do more to ensure that parents and schools have the proper tools for teaching responsible use of social media and addressing bad behavior when it occurs.
As we announced last fall, we will prioritize legislation in the Georgia Senate this session to do just that. This legislation, Senate Bill 351, will require social media companies to take concrete steps to verify the age of their users. For users under the age of 16, social media companies will be required to develop mechanisms to allow parents to consent to the use of the account by their child. We believe giving parents the ability to decide when their children are ready to have “keys to the car” is a vital tool for combating harmful social media use.
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Schools also play a key role in this conversation and are on the front lines of the battle against bullying, including cyberbullying. Our state already has rules in place requiring schools to monitor bullying and to educate students and teachers about it, but these policies need to be updated to reflect the realities of modern technology. This legislation will ensure that school policies specifically address cyberbullying via social media and other electronic forms of communication while providing resources to students on the proper use of social media.
Senate Bill 351 is a vital tool in the effort to protect our youth. Parents and schools need our attention and unwavering support to build healthy communities for their children — and we’re looking forward to the work ahead.
Burt Jones is the lieutenant governor of Georgia, and Jason Anavitarte is a Georgia state senator.
