HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) – As Congress debates new regulations for social media and gaming platforms, a North Alabama juvenile court attorney says keeping children safe online still starts at home.
The Kids Online Safety Act is moving forward in Congress after clearing the Senate Commerce Committee. The legislation would hold tech companies to a higher standard for protecting children online. House and Senate lawmakers will need to reach a compromise before it can be sent to the president.
Juvenile attorney Patrick Caver teaches internet safety classes in middle and high schools across North Alabama. He said parental monitoring of children’s devices has become more urgent over time.
“I think it’s more dangerous to give a child a cell phone than it is to give a child a loaded gun,” Caver said.
Caver said parents need to check their children’s phones daily.
“The parents really have to watch their child’s cell phone every day. I mean, when I first started this class about 15 years ago, I’d tell parents to check their phones once a week. Then it went to maybe two times a week… now, you have to check the phones every day,” Caver said.
Caver said predators can access children through apps including Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram and Roblox.
“Roblox has a thing built into it where people can actually talk to your underage kids through a direct message service,” Caver said.
Caver will teach a Social Media and the Law class on Aug. 10 from 7 to 8 p.m. at Burningtree Country Club, 2521 Burningtree Drive SE, Decatur, Ala. 35603. The event is open to the public and admission is free.
Attorney Jamie Powers, who specializes in sexual abuse lawsuits, said online gaming platforms present risks similar to unsupervised public spaces.
“You wouldn’t let your five-year-old just go by themselves to a playground that you’ve never been to, that you don’t know who else is there, you don’t know who else comes visit. Platforms like Roblox are the new playground, and we need to treat them like it,” Powers said.
The Senate version of the Kids Online Safety Act includes strong default protective settings on social media, parental controls and a designated channel to report harmful behavior. Both attorneys said no law can replace parents staying involved in their children’s online lives.
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