Ind. Senate Panel Advances Kids Social Media Bill
A kids social media bill requiring age verification cleared the Indiana Senate Judiciary Committee with an amendment in a 10-1 vote at a livestreamed hearing Wednesday. The bill would prohibit kids 15 years old and younger from accessing social media unless they have parental permission.
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The amendment included a refined definition of social media meant to clarify the bill is talking about platforms like TikTok, said Chair Liz Brown (R). Another change added a 90-day right to cure for businesses accused of violations, she said.
While the panel’s three Democrats raised concerns, including about how verification would work, only Sen. Rodney Pol (D) voted no on advancing SB-11. Pol agreed with the bill’s intent but raised concerns about how social sites can comply with the age-verification requirement in practice.
Brown retorted that companies already face this requirement in the EU. “The one thing I've never heard” from social websites “is we don't know how to do the verification,” she said. Sen. Mike Bohacek (R) noted that the bill’s right to cure is meant to ease compliance.
Sen. Greg Taylor (D) said he voted yes due to the bill’s “noble intent” but signaled that he would like to see changes; these include how the legislation handles checking for parental consent. Also, Taylor questioned the amended definition’s exclusion of online videogames like Fortnite, but Bohacek dismissed the gaming concern as a different topic.
The American Civil Liberties Union opposed SB-11 at a hearing last week (see 2501090054).