S.C. Panel Hears Support for Age-Appropriate Design Bill

Only supporters testified at Wednesday's hearing on S-268, which would amend the South Carolina Code of Laws to require digital platforms to implement safeguards for users younger than 18, and employ data minimization practices for users who are minors.

However, Bennett said he heard from "plenty of folks opposed to the legislation ahead of the meeting, privately." The senator said he has encouraged that opponents "focus their specific concerns to me and to members of the committee and, hopefully, to the public when we reconvene,” and give alternative solutions to the bill, not simply say why the bill is bad.

Four witnesses supported the legislation, including Lacey Skoyen, member of the Kids Code Coalition. “Rates of youth depression, anxiety, eating disorders and even drug overdoses are skyrocketing in correlation with the amount of time that kids and teens are spending online,” she said. “These platforms are not just innocently connecting friends, they are purposefully designed to trap kids in a cycle of screen time while tracking their activity and monetizing their personal data.”

Companies should be held accountable for the safety and well-being of children who use their sites or products, Skoyen said. “We can significantly improve kids’ digital experiences by implementing privacy by default and safety by design protections ... . This means ensuring that tech companies do not collect or sell children's data, setting high privacy standards by default and refraining from employing manipulative design tactics that exploit our kids.”

Former teacher MaryRita Watson agreed. “While technology is a powerful educational tool, unregulated online spaces expose minors to data exploitation, excessive screen time, harmful content and predatory marketing practices,” she said. The bill is “going to require online platforms to act with due care when collecting and using and storing minors’ personal data, preventing companies from exploiting children's information for profit. It will empower students with tools to manage their screen time, as well as their parents, and to protect their privacy, fostering healthy digital habits. It will limit how much data companies can collect from minors and ensure that such data is not used in ways that could harm them.”

Additionally, South Carolina Rep. Brandon Guffey (R) testified about sextortion on social media, while Patrick Kelly, director of governmental affairs for Palmetto State Teachers Association, spoke about the negative influence of social media on children. Guffey said, “If you're going to provide this product to our children, you must take reasonable effort to protect them."