CITIZEN: Kentucky must do more to protect children from the harms of cell phones and social media

During the last couple legislative sessions, the General Assembly has taken important steps to protect kids from social harms. They passed SB 150, which banned gender “transitions” on minors, and HB 278, which requires age verification for pornographic websites. The Family Foundation worked hard to support those bills.

However, there is still much work to be done to fully protect kids in Kentucky. One issue of note this session is phones in public schools. At least 9 states, including Florida and California, have already banned phones during class time, and some KY lawmakers are interested in making Kentucky the 10th state to do so.

Cell phones bring the benefit of quick communication, but they also bring considerable distractions as well. This includes social media, gambling apps, and other addictive features. Banning phones during class time would ensure that kids are focused on important subjects, like math, reading, and history, rather than the latest harmful trend.

Additionally, requiring schools to ban social media and gambling apps on their school Wi-Fi would ensure that kids do not have easy access to those overly addictive apps while they are supposed to be learning and preparing for the future. Rep. Josh. Bray (pictured) has filed HB 208 to prohibit phones in classrooms.

The General Assembly will also have opportunities to protect kids outside of schools. At least 12 states, including Florida and California, require age verification for social media websites. Kentucky should be the next state to pass such a law. Social media usage is well linked to the large increase in mental health issues amongst children. Requiring age verification would ensure that kids are shielded from those effects until they reach a more mature age.

With a growing bipartisan consensus to create stronger protections for kids online, we encourage the General Assembly to take strong action once again this session.