by Glenn Minnis
Young people in Wisconsin could soon face a social media curfew that places restrictions on their accounts during overnight hours.
Introduced by State Rep. David Steffen, “Wisconsin’s Kids Online Safety Act,” which follows similar plans recently enacted in such conservative states as Utah and Arkansas, would be in effect between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.
With an overall goal of curbing young people’s use of social media, the measure would also require that social media companies develop an overnight sleep mode on their platforms.
“Our parents have had next to no tools to protect their kids from the harms of social media,” Steffen (pictured above) told reporters. “It is now time for government to get engaged to ensure that our kids are being protected from the well-established dangers of online activity and, in particular, overuse.”
While the bill being proposed in Wisconsin is similar to the one already on the books in Utah, Steffen added there are also several differences, including parents and guardians in his state having a “master switch” for child safety mode that can be turned on or off.
Individuals requesting to message a minor would also need to be pre-approved by a parent or legal guardian, who will also be able to monitor all content their underage child engages in.
Steffen’s proposal comes in the wake of several recent reports that have outlined how social media is impacting the mental health of young people, including a Pew Research Center study that found nearly half of all U.S. teens, in particular older teenage girls, have experienced at least one form of cyberbullying.
In addition, a peer-reviewed study conducted by the University of Toledo recently found that 42 percent of sex trafficking victims initially met their abuser online, never met in person and were still trafficked.
“It’s been 15, 20 years, and we still have not seen these issues addressed,” Steffen added. “In fact, they’ve gotten worse.”
If signed into law, Steffen’s measure would only impact users who have Wisconsin as their identified state of residence and enforcement of it by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture and Consumer Protection. The Department of Justice is expected to commence with fines that could be as high as $100 per user, per day.
“For the first time, there will be an opportunity for an equally sized player to defend the child in these types of situations,” Steffen said. “Right now, where on earth does a parent go who feels like Facebook or Google or one of the other major players has failed to provide any type of adequate protection from predators or content that is harmful to our kids? They don’t have many options.”
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Glenn Minnis is a contributor to The Center Square.
Photo “David Steffen” by Wisconsin State Representative David Steffen. Background Photo “Child Using a Phone” by Gaelle Marcel.
