On January 15, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a hearing entitled: “Plugged Out: Examining the Impact of Technology on America’s Youth.” The witnesses included:
- Dr. Jean Twenge, Professor of Psychology, San Diego State University
- Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath, Director, LME Global
- Ms. Emily Cherkin, Author and Founder of The Screentime Consultant
- Dr. Jenny Radesky, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School
The hearing focused on America’s youth and excessive screen time. It also called attention to the need for social media bans on publicly distributed laptops in schools in order to prohibit the distraction of entertainment in the learning environment.
There were concerns raised about student wellbeing as mental health concerns have risen rapidly since the introduction of the smartphone. The expert witnesses pointed to the research that many adolescents are struggling with anxiety, depression, and loneliness because of the addictive nature of social media algorithms. Senators also raised questions about youth exposure to inappropriate content and parasocial relationships with chat bots.
Dr. Jenny Radesky explained that “Our research has found tablets and apps commonly have designs that can lead to exposure to inappropriate or violent content, which is associated with worse outcomes. Popular apps also commonly have designs that encourage prolonged viewing, which create more family conflict and difficulty transitioning away from technology.” Participants in the hearing described social media to be a distraction at school and at home for all children. The hearing also highlighted the Kids Off Social Media Act (KOSMA), bipartisan legislation from Sen. Schatz (D-HI) and Sen. Cruz (R-TX) that would prohibit kids ages 13 and under from having social media accounts and prohibit social media companies from recommending content using algorithms to users under the age of 17, among other restrictions.
While there was discussion of limiting laptops in schools altogether, the main focus of the conversation was around restriction of non-school related entertainment because of the argument that students need exposure to technology to be prepared for the workforce. Sen. Lujan (D-NM) asked about the impacts of limiting technology, inquiring about the potential risks for both urban and rural schools that could occur “if federal funding for connectivity is eliminated.” Dr. Radesky replied that schools and programs that utilize computer software and AI for career and technical Training would suffer if laptop programs halted.
In conclusion, there was general consensus and support for limiting social media because of the harm that unregulated content creates for developing brain. The witnesses recommended putting pressure on large technology companies to increase their data privacy settings and supported the passage of the Kids Off Social Media Act (KOSMA) in the Senate.
