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This proposed bill would give Tennessee parents control over their child's social media accounts

Posted at 5:25 AM, Jan 26, 2024
and last updated 2024-01-26 07:28:33-05

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — We know there are a lot of parents out there who care what their kids see on social media. As it becomes more of a concern, some state lawmakers want to give parents more control over their kids' accounts.

It is called the "Protecting Children from Social Media Act" and it would require parents' permission for kids to access their accounts.

This bill was proposed by Representative William Lamberth of Sumner County. He wants sites to verify the age of people making accounts.

If the person is a minor, this bill would require those sites to get parental consent.

If a child already has an account, verification must happen within 14 days of the child attempting to access their existing account.

Once verified, the site does not have to verify again, but parents have the ability to revoke their consent when they want, taking away a child's access to the account.

The bill also proposes giving parents the ability to supervise the minor's account, including viewing privacy settings, setting time restrictions, and implementing break times when kids would not be able to access their account.

Under the proposal, the attorney general would investigate the company if it did not follow the rules.


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