While we appreciate the concerns from some about the effect of social media on minors, we strongly opposed legislation which would require express parental or guardian consent for a minor in Rhode Island to create an account on social media platforms. While this legislation attempts to shield minors from online explicity content, in reality it imposes unneccessary burdens on all users' ability to access internet spaces and express themselves freely online. This is especially harmful for young people by limiting their ability to learn about the world, partake in government and political discussions, and connect with peers or find community.
This bill also raises a number of practical issues, including requiring parents to share personal information with these companies to prove that they are giving consent for this minor to use these platforms and that they are in fact the parent or guardian of this child. This bill also directs the department of business regulation to create the process by which a parent or guardian consents but provides no guidelines as to how this would be done.
