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Senate Bill 1126 would implement new regulations to protect
children from the dangers of social media to avoid predators'
hateful speech and create a safer environment for children
overall.
State Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Morris, explained the goal of the bill.
"Today's discussions are crucial about how to enhance online
safety for children to create a safer digital environment than
the one they encountered yesterday," Rezin said.
The
measure looks to stop targeted ads and deny access to children's
social media pages to protect them from unwanted predators or
messages.
State Sen. Robert Martwick, D-Chicago, asked about the potential
costs of implementing the measure in the state's schools.
"Is there any research that you are aware of that puts a number
on any of these costs in terms of school districts," Martwick
asked.
The
price will vary depending on school districts, and the committee
was not able to give an exact figure for the costs.
The state recently enacted Senate Bill 1782, filed by state Sen.
Dave Koehler, D-Peoria, that requires parents who use their
children as online influencers to repay their children for their
content. The law applies to any child whose parents made a
profit off of social media videos or any other related content.
In 2019, Illinois updated its laws regarding stalking and
harassment to include digital and social media.
Rezin said that lawmakers need to act now and not wait for
social media companies to make these changes independently.
"We have all heard the 'trust us, we will handle it ourselves'
narrative before," Rezin said. "Whether it was from the tobacco
industry in the past or, more recently, the opioid industry.
Social media companies can not be relied upon to self-regulate."
Lawmakers look to discuss the measure further during the fall
veto session.
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