MONTGOMERY, Ala. (
WIAT
— Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, is supporting a bill currently under review in an Alabama House committee.
We require them to wear helmets and essentially control every aspect of their lives,” State Representative Chris Sells, R-Greenville, stated. “Yet, when it comes to the online world and mobile devices, we provide absolutely no protection, which is precisely the issue here.
The proposed legislation involves categorizing applications based on age groups for minors and mandating age verification processes when they download these apps. This regulation would apply specifically to users between 13 and 18 years of age.
“Parents want a one-stop shop to verify their teen’s age and grant permission for them to download apps in a privacy preserving way,” Meta said in a statement.
But Justin Hill with NetChoice, an association advocating for free speech on the internet, argued that permission should start with education, not limitation.
So we all concur on the reason, but differ on the method,” Hill stated. “NetChoice adopts a stance to safeguard the internet—also ensuring it remains a domain for free expression and commercial freedom.
Hill stated that the bill removes parents from the discussion.
“We won’t observe the outcomes we’re aiming for, and I want to emphasize this point: several of our members, including companies like Apple, Meta, and Google, are currently undertaking significant updates,” Hill stated.
Should those members provide applications to minors without obtaining parental permission, the state has the authority to initiate legal action against them pursuant to this legislation. Melea Stephens, a marriage and family therapist based in Birmingham, emphasized that this issue does not pertain to freedom of expression.
Children are exploited through some apps. Stephens is also a part of the National Center on Sexual Exploitation.
“I work with local law enforcement on these cases, and they’re very heartbreaking,” Stephens said. “So that’s one reason I’m so passionate about this measure because it would go a long way to changing the atmosphere of the digital landscape that our children are growing up in in Alabama.”
The bill did not receive a vote in committee Tuesday. Lawmakers said they want to keep working together on the effort and figure out what is best for the state.
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