Alaska Lawmakers Urged to Adopt Unified Social Media Approach for Youth Protection
Alaska lawmakers are being urged to adopt a unified, statewide approach to protecting minors on social media, rather than a fragmented series of bills. Currently, the state lacks comprehensive legislation addressing the impact of social media on children. While House Bill 47 initially included social media provisions, these were later removed and did not become law. House Bill 318, which directly targets platform design features like engagement-driven feeds and notifications that keep minors engaged, has also not yet passed. This legislative push comes amidst growing concerns about the effects of social media on teenagers' mental health, with studies linking frequent use to higher rates of bullying, sadness, and suicide risk factors among high schoolers, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey.
