Bipartisan initiative would implement protections for children, focuses on data privacy and mental health

Reno, Nev. – In a bipartisan effort to implement protections for Nevada children online, AB 320, or the ‘Age Appropriate Design Code,’ was introduced by Senator Edgar Flores (D) and Assemblywoman Jill Dickman (R). The measure, which will be heard in the Assembly committee on Commerce and Labor in the coming days, requires that online platforms such as social media, websites, apps and more, ensure the highest level of protections for children visiting their site. Similar measures are being considered in states all over the country and have already been implemented in the United Kingdom and more recently in California and many online platforms have already made changes to their sites to adhere to the Code. 

“As legislators, we work with every industry to implement and strengthen protections of products, services and more yet we’ve done little in the digital space to provide those same protections for our children,” said Senator Edgar Flores (D), a cosponsor for AB 320. “Alongside Assemblywoman Jill Dickman and nearly 12 other cosponsors from both parties, we feel confident that the Age Appropriate Design Code is a step in the right direction to begin treating Nevada’s youth as a separate and specific audience in the digital space.”

A poll of American teenagers released this week found that the design of social media and online platforms is actively harming U.S. teens, furthering the need for initiatives such as the Age Appropriate Design Code to protect Nevada’s youth. Among other things, the report indicated that:

• 74% of teens find themselves scrolling for too long

• 59% get pulled back into apps after they log off due to push notifications

• 66% feel they are losing track of time with Black and Hispanic teenagers being disproportionately affected

• Nearly 50% lose sleep because they feel ‘stuck’ on social media

• 92% were recommended to follow a stranger

• Over 75% received ads for things they just talked about with more than 50% buying things they didn’t truly want due to targeted ads. 

“The data has shown us, time and again, that various online platforms, such as social media, contribute to a myriad of issues including depression and anxiety and are highly addicting,” said Nicole Gill with Accountable Tech. “We firmly believe that a child’s safety should be paramount and that platforms should enact the highest privacy protections when designing, developing and providing that feature. Through the passage of AB 320 in Nevada, we hope to see that belief become a reality. ”

Details on AB 320, including bill language and an option to submit public opinion, can be viewed on the Nevada Legislature’s website. For more information on the Nevada Age Appropriate Design Code, visit https://nevadakidscode.com.

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