US elections: bipartisan support for youth online privacy and safety must continue
As the US prepares to enter a new legislative term, 5Rights calls for continued bipartisan support to advance children’s and teens’ privacy and safety online.
Few issues generate such strong consensus among citizens as the welfare of our children, and the urgent need to act to protect them online. At present, more than half of young people in the US fear they are addicted to their devices, with more than 80% of teens saying they are always or “almost constantly” connected. An overwhelming majority report checking messages or notifications as soon as they appear, and many feel anxious when they don’t have their phones. Most are exposed to pornography before the age of 12 and bombarded with messages from strangers. Child sexual abuse and sextortion are rife, contributing to bullying that now affects nearly half of US teens. Teen suicide rates have doubled in the last decade.
“Having worked on a bipartisan basis with legislators and civil society for many years, we welcome the incoming administration’s promise to deliver the safe and prosperous future that all children deserve. We look forward to working with the newly elected US leaders to further deepen bipartisan collaboration for a safer, more accountable digital environment for children, across America and the world.”
Leanda Barrington-Leach, 5Rights Executive Director
Over the last few years, US legislators have taken up this challenge, with laws requiring age appropriate design and strong safeguards for children’s privacy passed with unanimous bipartisan support in California, Maryland and Vermont, and introduced by bipartisan coalitions in Nevada, New Mexico and Minnesota. At the Federal level, the Kids Online Safety Act also has strong bipartisan support.
In parallel, bipartisan investigations have led to dozens of States, including Nebraska, Kansas, New Hampshire, Kansas, Iowa, Arkansas, New York, California, Kentucky and New Jersey, suing the biggest social media companies for harms to children. In just two coordinated actions, in 2023 more than 40 States sued Meta, and last month more than a dozen sued TikTok.
5Rights will continue our work to support American children and young people, their parents, communities and representatives, in their fight to ensure the digital world is designed for them to thrive.