In the last few decades, parents have witnessed the explosion of technology and the powerful influence it holds over their children’s lives. Whether they are talking to friends on cellphones, playing video games on a console or completing schoolwork on a laptop, technology is a constant presence. But the content our children see online has a well-documented dark side. The companies profiting from them are not just aware of the dangers their platforms pose to kids; they are intimately familiar with them.
Recent reports have shown just how perilous these online spaces can be. According to a recent lawsuit, Facebook went so far as training their AI chatbots, which are rated as safe for children, on graphic sexual content, and the company has actively covered up instances of children being approached by strangers and sexually propositioned according to whistleblowers. On TikTok, consumer rights groups have consistently warned that the company has engaged in behavior that has put young users’ data in danger. In other corners of the internet, companies like Match Group, which owns Tinder and Hinge, have turned a blind eye to underage users on their dating platforms, despite widespread reports of predatory behavior on their sites. These examples of calculated negligence put even more kids directly in harm’s way.
This pattern demonstrates that without policymakers holding Big Tech accountable for its actions, nothing will change. But while Congress is still debating legislative solutions to protect our kids from bad actors like Facebook, TikTok and Match Group, Florida has led the way in developing online safety measures that work.
Florida’s leaders have taken steps that empower parents while holding bad actors responsible for protecting children from dangerous online algorithms. Officials in the state have focused on educating children and parents about the toll online harms can inflict on a child’s social, emotional, and physical well-being, and the tools provided by device makers and other parts of the tech industry to address those problems. It’s a recognition that parental oversight into what their children are seeing and doing online is critical.
Additionally, legislators in Florida have taken steps to directly regulate addictive and harmful online platforms. HB3, for example, a bill passed into law last year, requires social media companies to verify users’ ages to keep underage users off of their platforms. This solution is a step in the right direction toward holding platforms accountable for harming young children.
Big Tech, of course, has tried to weasel its way out of accountability. Facebook, for example, has supported legal challenges that would roll back HB3. That’s not all. Facebook, supported by a list of dangerous platforms that includes TikTok, Match Group, and even the pornography industry, is leading a campaign to flip the proposal to offload all responsibility while they continue to hurt kids. Instead of verifying users’ ages themselves, these companies want to put the onus for age verification on app stores. However, this change would allow kids to easily sidestep protections by allowing them to access dangerous websites through a laptop, a gaming console or a smartphone browser. Additionally, since companies like Facebook and TikTok have rated their apps as appropriate for children, their solution does little to stop children from experiencing danger online once they’ve accessed one of their platforms. In effect, this diversionary tactic allows social media companies and others to continue funneling addictive and harmful content directly to our children.
Florida has made terrific strides in advancing online safety for children. But Big Tech is threatening to dismantle the progress our state has made. But instead of listening to the platforms endangering our kids, our state legislators should double down on their commitment to protecting children from the harms like explicit content and addictive designs. The Legislature must continue to prioritize laws that will force Big Tech to change their feeds to ensure that children are not exposed to harmful content and dangerous algorithms, an idea that’s being considered in the halls of Congress and in statehouses around the country.
Keith Flaugh is the CEO and co-founder of the Florida Citizens Alliance.
