Indiana Senate Advances Bills to Tighten Teen Social Media Use

The Indiana Senate is moving forward with legislation aimed at regulating social media use for minors and enhancing technology policies in schools. On Wednesday, the Senate Education Committee advanced two significant bills: one focused on limiting young people’s access to social media and another that mandates schools to strengthen their technology plans.

Senate Bill 199, led by committee chair Sen. Jeff Raatz (R-Richmond), passed with an 11-2 vote and has been sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee for further consideration. Sen. Andrea Hunley (D-Indianapolis) and Sen. Shelli Yoder (D-Bloomington) were the only dissenting votes on the bill, which contains several provisions, including a notable requirement for social media companies like Meta to obtain written parental consent before allowing minors under 18 to create accounts.

Supporters of Senate Bill 199 argue that the measure addresses increasing concerns about the impact of social media on children’s mental health and educational environments. Indiana Secretary of Education Katie Jenner stressed the importance of the legislation, stating, “For most of us in the room, social media arrived when we were already well into adulthood. Our children growing up today do not have that same luxury.” She highlighted issues such as cyberbullying and addictive content that children face daily.

Critics, however, have raised concerns regarding the enforcement of these restrictions, as well as potential infringements on minors’ rights. Samantha Bresnahan from the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana argued that the proposed measures could violate constitutional rights and necessitate intrusive data collection to verify age and parental consent.

Senate Bill 159, authored by Sen. Spencer Deery (R-West Lafayette), takes a different approach by requiring public and charter schools to enhance their technology policies. This bill, which passed with a 12-1 vote, mandates schools to detail how they will empower parents to manage the use of school-provided devices outside of school hours. Schools would need to implement these measures by January 1, 2027, allowing parents to adjust content filters and limit device usage times.

During discussions, Sen. Stacey Donato (R-Logansport), while supporting the bill, encouraged further consideration of how parental controls would work on e-learning days, suggesting that parents might not want certain platforms being accessible during educational sessions. Meanwhile, Democrats sought clarification on the financial implications for schools. Sen. Fady Qaddoura (D-Indianapolis) questioned whether districts would incur additional costs to implement these controls. Deery assured that most schools already have contracts with vendors providing such functionalities, indicating no expected additional expenses.

The proposed legislation reflects a growing recognition of the challenges posed by technology in educational settings and the need for regulations that balance safety and parental control. As these bills advance through the Indiana Senate, the outcomes could significantly shape the landscape of social media access and technology use for minors in the state.