HARRISBURG, Pa. – Elected officials in Pennsylvania and New Jersey say they want to protect children from social media.
In Pennsylvania, the Attorney General Dave Sunday is suing TikTok. He says the app is failing to protect kids.
In New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill signed three new laws Tuesday aimed at protecting and researching the effects of social media on kids.
Pennsylvania has filed a lawsuit against TikTok, claiming the social media giant built an app that promotes infinite scrolling and decays the mental wellness of kids.
“This includes profanity, drinking, drug use, individuals in sexually suggestive situations, activities a 13, 14, (or) 15-year-old should not be exposed to at such a young age,” Sunday said.
Attorney General Sunday laid out the lawsuit Tuesday in Harrisburg.
The lawsuit seeks to establish effective barriers and safeguards for children ages 13-to-15.
“I’m standing here today to say that enough is enough and my office is taking action with this lawsuit. This is not healthy behavior for children,” Sunday said.
On its legal page, Tik Tok says it has adopted a range of measures to protect users aged 13-to-17 from harmful content. It says it is committed to protecting against “potentially challenging viewing experiences.”
In New Jersey, Governor Mikie Sherill signed three new laws Tuesday, all aimed at protecting kids online. One law requires on-line providers to design their products while considering the safety and well-being of children. Another includes a half-million dollars for New Jersey to establish a Social Media Research Center.
“This center will conduct independent research on the impacts and addictive nature of social media platforms. As tech evolves, so will this center,” said Governor Sherrill.
The Sherrill Administration is launching a request for proposals today to establish the Center, with the goal of beginning its work this fall.
