A Democratic policy initiative, Project 2029, is calling for a sweeping federal online safety agenda that would ban social media accounts for children under 16, require bell-to-bell cellphone bans in schools, and impose new liability rules on AI chatbots.
Proposal Details
The proposal calls for social media platforms to open new accounts with the highest privacy settings by default. It would also ban addictive features such as infinite scroll and autoplay for minor users. Additionally, the proposal would prohibit chatbots from presenting themselves as licensed professionals and impose strict liability on developers whose products cause demonstrable harm to users.
Rishi Bharwani, U.S. director of Reset Tech, a public policy organization focused on technology accountability, said age restrictions are among the most critical tools available to protect minors online. The proposal cites the 2017 death of Molly Russell, a 14-year-old who died by suicide after platforms repeatedly pushed self-harm content to her feed.
The proposal also notes that at least 42 states and more than 1,000 individual plaintiffs have filed lawsuits against social media platforms, and Congress is considering federal legislation targeting kids’ online safety.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
