New year, new laws: TN law gives parents more control over children's social media accounts
In just a few days, it'll be 2025, which means new laws will take effect.
One of these laws, called 'Protecting Children from Social Media Act,’ is cracking down on what underage users have access to and giving parents more control over their children's accounts.
Tennessee is one of a few states implementing new laws aimed at improving children's mental health and reducing their exposure to harmful online content.
State Senator Bo Watson says parents can set time restrictions on how often a child uses a platform, choose when they're able to access it and control account privacy settings.
We’re not entirely sure how platforms will adhere to the new policies, but Watson has a few ideas.
“They [social media platforms] learn from the behavior of the individual that’s using the platform, so I think the system with artificial intelligence and other types of analytics really have a lot of different ways to identify whether someone is an adult or a minor,” Watson says. “We expect them to utilize these tools.”
Watson says these tools are crucial for parents to stay engaged in their children’s lives so that they can monitor the effects of social media.