From new investigations to a string of settlements, verdicts and state laws, state leaders are trying to fill a gap left by Congress, which has failed to pass a major kids’ online safety bill despite substantial bipartisan concern and growing pressure from advocates.
While most in Congress say protecting children and teens online is a priority, a string of intraparty and partisan disagreements, procedural hurdles and clashes between the House and Senate have derailed legislative efforts for years.
The stalemate is spurring more action in the states, where policymakers say they’re waiting on the federal government to act.
“Parents are not asking for permission any longer. When you talk to them on the state level, they don’t care if it’s Republican or Democrat,” said John Cusey, the executive director of kids safety organization Institute for Families and Technology.
A flurry of new investigations and legal settlements were announced this month, including three agreements with Roblox, a gaming platform used by nearly half of minors younger than 16 in the U.S.
“What we like to say is that Republican attorneys general act and do, and Congress talks and doesn’t,” West Virginia Attorney General John B. McCuskey (R) told The Hill. “In order for there to be significant child safety changes, it’s going to have to come from AGs and from states, because Congress has proved time and time again that they are incapable of acting in real time on actual problems.”
As part of Nevada’s agreement, the first of the three, all Roblox users will be required to undergo age verification through age estimation technology and government-issued IDs.
Other social media companies including Meta, TikTok, Discord, Snap — the parent company of Snapchat — and Reddit are facing similar probes related to their safety features across at least seven states.
Read more in a full report at TheHill.com
