In a recent report from the Associated Press, a recent GOP legislative effort to block children in Virginia from using TikTok was shut down this week. The proposal was backed by Republican Gov.Glenn Youngkin and was sponsored by Republican Delegate Jay Leftwich of Chesapeake.
The reports cite that concerns were discussing how the ban would be enforced and there were questions about whether singling out just one platform was the correct approach in an era where concerns are coming from both parents and lawmakers about the effect these social media platforms have on young people.
Short-comings Explained
The bill's lack of movement also contributed to it falling short due to a procedural deadline set for Tuesday and no comparable bill was presented in the state Senate. Youngkin had framed his call for the ban on kids citing concerns surrounding children's mental health. Leftwich also shared similar concerns citing both mental health and overall data privacy for young people. In a committee hearing, Leftwich made the following statement "The whole platform, especially for minors, is to get them engaged and kind of hooked into watching these things. And it leads them down different rabbit holes and they sit there for hours and hours watching these things."
If the bill was passed it would have allowed a child's parent or legal custodian to bring a lawsuit against TikTok if a child was provided access. Should the plaintiff prevail they could receive damages up to $75,000 for what was described as "each discrete violation" which would be defined as each separate instance where a child had accessed the platform along with other damages according to the text of the bill.
The bill had one hearing in a House committee that focused on technology bills and was moved forward following a bipartisan vote of 14-8, however, it was never heard by a second committee. Democrats on the committee had raised concerns not just about how the bill would be enforced but also whether the Government as opposed to the parents should hold responsibility for limiting a child's access to social media. Leftwich presented a counter argument pointing out that policymakers have banned children from accessing "harmful substances" such as alcohol or cannabis and that he saw the proposal in the same light.
Delegate Holly Seibold, a Democrat hailing from Fairfax County, had thanked Leftwich for bringing in the bill stating that she was a parent of teenagers and had agreed that children are becoming addicted to social media apps and by extension their cell phones however she ultimately said "But I will not be supporting this bill because I think it's unfair to single out TikTok"
Jamal Brown, a spokesperson for TikTok, made a statement discussing that the company works hard to support the well-being of teens through tools such as a 60-minute time limit for its users under the age of 18 as well as restrictions on messaging. Along with parental control. Brown also said "We've long said bans, like the one proposed in this legislation, are not only the wrong approach but also raise significant First Amendment concerns"
However, deputy director of communications for Yongkin, Macaulay Porter stated that the Governor "remains committed to empowering parents in Virginia and protecting youth in the Commonwealth from social media's harmful impacts." HNGN has also reported on New York's Mayor Adams' concerns surrounding social media.
