Today, Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, led a legislative hearing in Washington, D.C. focused on protecting children and teens online. The hearing examined various proposed bills aimed at increasing online safety for minors.
Congressman Bilirakis stated, “For too long, tech companies have failed to adequately protect children and teens from the dangers of the online world. Today, we examined a suite of online safety bills designed to address the growing challenges facing our kids in the digital age. Parents, educators, and lawmakers all agree that meaningful, lasting protections are urgently needed—and today’s discussion marked an important step toward achieving them.”
During the hearing, several members highlighted concerns about digital safety for youth:
Congressman Neal Dunn (FL-02) remarked, “We’re living through a crisis right now. We’ve handed our children’s devices that are more powerful than the most powerful computers that sent men to the moon, but we’ve failed to install the digital equivalent of seatbelts and smoke detectors.”
Congresswoman Laurel Lee (FL-15) said, “Digital technologies change so fast that even the most engaged parents struggle to keep up with the latest apps and features. That’s why the Promoting a Safe Internet for Minors Act would direct the FTC to launch a nationwide education campaign to help kids and parents learn how to stay safe.”
Congressman John James (MI-10) added: “Just as brick-and-mortar stores are held responsible for selling age restricted materials like tobacco or alcohol to minors, the App Store Accountability Act will hold digital app stores accountable for providing adult or addictive material to minors as well.”
The hearing is part of ongoing efforts by lawmakers to develop policies addressing online risks faced by young people.
