Arkansas legislators are considering a bill that would allow parents to sue social media companies if their child under 16 commits suicide or attempts suicide after being exposed to harmful content online. Senate Bill 612, sponsored by Senator Tyler Dees, aims to hold social media platforms accountable for promoting self-harm or addiction. The bill would allow plaintiffs to seek damages and recover costs related to such incidents.
The bill has gained bipartisan support and passed in the state Senate. It is part of a larger effort to regulate social media platforms, especially in protecting minors. Another bill, the Social Media Safety Act, which required age verification for new social media accounts, was recently struck down in federal court due to First Amendment concerns.
Moreover, other bills related to online safety for children and teens are also being considered in the Arkansas Legislature. House Bill 1717, sponsored by Rep. Zack Gramlich, aims to prevent websites and apps from collecting personal information from children and teens for targeted ads. These bills are part of a national trend with similar legislation being considered in Congress, such as the Kids Online Safety Act, which would update online privacy laws and increase the protected age threshold to 17.
However, these efforts have faced opposition from organizations like the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the ACLU, who argue that such laws may lead to content restrictions and censorship that violate free speech rights. The debate over regulating social media platforms to protect minors while balancing free speech concerns is ongoing at both the state and federal levels.
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