SEN. KOLKHORST NAMED TO JOINT COMMITTEE RESEARCHING MEDIA’S IMPACT ON MINORS

  

State Senator Lois Kolkhorst has been appointed to a newly-formed joint committee to study the effects of media on minors.

The committee, which was formed in accordance with House Bill 18 from the 88^th Legislature, is tasked with examining the health and developmental effects of media on minors and the effects of exposure by a minor to various forms of media, including social media platforms, websites, artificial intelligence, video games and other media formats.

Kolkhorst said she is “deeply honored” to serve on the committee and recognizes the “critical importance of studying the effects of social media on minors.”  She said, “Many experts in medicine and education are sounding the alarm that our children's mental health, social skills, and ability to communicate on a personal level are at stake.  With the introduction of artificial intelligence, even more concerns arise about capturing our children’s likenesses, which can be used in nefarious and harmful ways.”

House Bill 18, known as the Securing Children Online through Parental Empowerment (SCOPE) Act, is meant to give parents more control over their children’s content.  Parental consent is required when children create new online accounts.  The bill compels content providers to prevent children from being exposed to harmful content, such as content that promotes suicide, self-harm, substance abuse, grooming, trafficking, and sexual exploitation.

The committee will undertake a comprehensive study to understand the influence of media on minors and its potential effects on their well-being and development.  Their findings and recommendations are expected to contribute to future policy decisions aimed at safeguarding the welfare of minors in the digital age.

Joint Committee Chairs will be Senator Bryan Hughes and Representative Jared Patterson.  Additional members on the Committee include Senator Angela Paxton, Senator Tan Parker, and Senator Jose Menendez, with State Representative Lacey Hull, State Representative Ann Johnson, State Representative Eddie Morales, and State Representative Shelby Slawson.