State Sen. Mike Bohacek working on legislation to require social media sites to restrict access for users under 16

Thursday, October 10, 2024 at 6:21 PM

By Staff report

This proposal builds on legislation Bohacek authored during the 2024 session that requires websites with pornographic content to use age verification methods to ensure children are protected from harmful material.

State Sen. Mike Bohacek (R-Michiana Shores) said work has begun on 2025 legislation that would require social media sites to implement procedures restricting access for users under the age of 16 until they receive verifiable parental consent.

Bohacek said he intends to have his proposal mirror the verifiable parental consent requirements used by the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, which currently only protects the collection of personal information from children under the age of 13.

"During discussions about the age verification legislation last session, I learned more about the loose restrictions on social media access for children under the age of 16," Bohacek said. "Most accounts don't require confirmation of a user's age, allowing children of all ages to potentially access all sorts of content that might not be appropriate for them."

The proposal would also give the Attorney General's office the right to enforce this requirement and creates a civil cause of action for any child under the age of 16 that is subject to bullying via social media.

"The rise of social media has expanded communication across the world, but it has also led to increasing concerns regarding children's safety," Bohacek said. "Kids can now use social media as a shield, making it easier for bullies to target their victims and hide it from adults who could help. It has also made it easier for bad actors who might try to lure children into bad situations. This legislation would help protect one of our most vulnerable Hoosier populations from these situations."

Bohacek added that his legislation is still being developed, and he intends to officially file it for consideration during the 2025 legislative session later this fall.