In a coordinated effort across the United States and in specific states such as Florida, Nevada, and Utah, lawmakers and officials are taking significant steps to address the impact of social media on youth. Senator Mitt Romney has co-sponsored a bill focused on protecting children from online harm. Concurrently, New York City has initiated a lawsuit against social media companies for creating manipulative and addictive platforms targeting youth. In Florida, discussions around cellphone bans, book challenges, and restrictions on classroom discussions are gaining momentum among the youth. Nevada is challenging three social media companies in state court over alleged harms to youth mental health and well-being. In Utah, the conversation extends beyond social media to address the broader issue of child abuse and neglect, with over 47,000 reports received in FY 23, finding 9,278 Utah kids were abused/neglected, most commonly due to DV related child abuse, endangerment & sex abuse. Additionally, the UK is implementing new guidelines allowing teachers to search student bags for phones and confiscate them, coupled with legal protection against lawsuits from parents. These measures reflect a growing concern over the influence of digital platforms and mobile devices on children and teenagers.
Mobile phones will be banned in schools under new guidance by the Department for Education seeking to fulfil a pledge made last year https://t.co/sauQA7MjqT
Mobile phone use will be severely restricted in primary and secondary schools in England as the Department for Education releases new guidance today, giving educators the power to search bags for and confiscate mobiles. @NIAbbot asks: What do you make of this policy? https://t.co/QXxCtkWues
'It's a bit nanny state to compel the schools to do this' Government ministers have confirmed there will be a ban on phones in English schools. @joshxhowie @CareyMarx @PaulCoxComedy https://t.co/Pgx7JK8LFf
🚨NEW: Teachers will be allowed to search student bags for phones and confiscate them for "as long as necessary" under new government guidelines They will also be given legal protection from being sued by parents if they lose or damage a phone [@thetimes]
TIMES: Schools will get greater powers to ban mobiles #TomorrowsPapersToday https://t.co/eswNXcoEVS
Op-ed: "Ironically, my Censorship and First Amendment project at my #Florida college just got censored." https://t.co/avHzk6OwqA via @RNewmanValencia
In Utah, we talk so much about protecting kids from social media. Keep asking, what are we doing about this: In FY 23, Utah CPS got 47k reports of abuse/neglect of kids. Found 9,278 Utah kids were abused/neglected. Most common: DV related child abuse, endangerment & sex abuse
Column: #Florida legislator's rewrite of defamation law threatens free speech. https://t.co/wsBlvRKM7f via @OtherMarkLane
Perspective by Theresa Vargas: While the nation has been focusing on book bans, some schools have gone without enough books. One elementary school has been trying to raise funds. https://t.co/auJJUEOKNa
Nevada is taking on three social media companies in state court over alleged harms to youth mental health and well-being. https://t.co/wouH503cwV
As #Florida lawmakers move to limit social media, here’s what the kids are saying. Cellphone bans, book challenges and restrictions on class discussion are getting their attention too. https://t.co/VJZA42w2UH via @JeffSolochek
ICYMI: This week we sent a strong message to social media companies harming our kids. This lawsuit seeks to hold them accountable for designing manipulative and addictive platforms targeted at our youth: https://t.co/DZgUknrWEg
As state and national lawmakers reckon with the impact of social media on teens, Sen. Mitt Romney has co-sponsored a bill aimed at protecting children from online harm. Link: https://t.co/ful7Yejx2F