GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) – A new bill filed in the North Carolina House of Representatives is hoping to can keep children away from social media sites like Facebook and Instagram.
The bill, which was filed Wednesday, would prohibit children under the age of 14 from creating social media accounts. It would also force social media platforms to delete accounts created by children under 14.
The bill would allow children ages 14-15 to sign up for platforms but only with their parents’ consent.
Beaufort County Republican Representative Keith Kidwell says there are many issues that led to House Bill 301 being filed.
“The other thing we see is a lot of cyber bullying, and a lot of in school bullying that is a result of social media. The other thing I think we see is a lot of depression in the younger kids. They’re also having social skills problems because they spend more time on social media than they do face to face with other children,” said Kidwell.
One parent we talked with agrees with Kidwell on this issue. Thomas Lowrey is a Greenville parent. He says the constant information is a huge problem for kids younger than 14.
“I think the amount of dopamine that it… just the constant information is the biggest issue there. It’s also seeking affirmation from people that don’t have an impact on their life,” said Lowrey.
While House Bill 301 is mainly a GOP bill, lawmakers claim that it has received bipartisan support.
WITN reached out to Democratic state lawmakers on the bill, but they declined to comment.
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