State lawmakers work to cut down social media usage for kids

A new bill moving through the state legislature aims to cut down on social media usage for Oklahoma children.

House Bill 1275 would prohibit children under 16 from making a social media account, and require anybody between 16 to 18 to have parental permission to use social media. Social media sites would have to use an age verification system if the bill is passed into law.

The bill states:

"In recognition of the critical role social media plays in the lives of minors and its impact on their mental well-being, this Legislature is committed to safeguarding the youth from accessing platforms that have demonstrated adverse effects on their mental health due to the addictive elements found in social media and the targeting of minors through the use of algorithms by social media platforms."

It goes on to say, "This Legislature's intent is not to censor content found on social media platforms, but rather to prevent access by persons who have not yet reached an age to handle the negative aspects of social media."

The lawmaker who wrote the bill says this is similar to the legislature's historic commitment to curbing the use of addictive substances and behaviors among minors. Representative Chad Caldwell also says one of the biggest problems with social media is the detriment it has to kids' mental health, saying there's a 150% increase in anxiety and depression.

“Restricting access to that until the student or youth has reached an age where they can make a better-informed decision and have a better understanding about the risks associated with it - again like we do with alcohol, tobacco and all that," said Rep. Chad Caldwell, (R) Enid.

Some lawmakers say kids may try to get around age verification while others say this topic should stay between parents and their kids, not the government.

The bill passed out of the house subcommittee today and will move on to the house oversight committee.