Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – The Internet is more accessible and more dangerous than it was ten years ago, says State Sen. Erica Harriss (pictured, left) (R-Glen Carbon). She and State Sen. Sue Rezin (pictured, right) (R-Morris) are proposing legislation to make the online world safer for children.
Harriss says some parents make an incorrect assumption: “As long as my kids are home, I assume they’re safe.”
Rezin proposes “age assurance” legislation. “If these platforms are not willing to make meaningful changes, we cannot simply stand by and do nothing,” said Rezin. “Everything has to be on the table when it comes to protecting our children, because at the end of the day, this is about accountability and safety.” Rezin’s Better Social Media Feeds Act would require companies to disclose how their algorithms recommend content. And Rezin’s Age-Appropriate Design Code Act would regulate what web sites can do with information they collect from children.
Saying the average age of first exposure to online pornography is twelve, Harriss is sponsoring the Adult Content Age Verification Act. “If a business is profiting from pornographic content,” said Harriss, “it needs to take reasonable steps to ensure that minors do not have access to this material.”
The legislation has been assigned to the Senate AI and Social Media Subcommittee.
