Democrats Urge Support for Bipartisan Social Media Bill

Congress should support a bill that would deliver “long overdue” independent research on social media’s impact on child development, said House Health Subcommittee Chair Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., at a hearing Wednesday. Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, D-N.J., also drew attention to the measure, HR-2161. The Children and Media Research Advancement Act would authorize a National Institutes of Health research program on the effects of tech and media on infants, children and adolescents. There would be $15 million for research 2022-24, and $50 million for 2025-26. The bill was reintroduced in March by Sens. Ed Markey, D-Mass.; Ben Sasse, R-Neb.; Roy Blunt, R-Mo.; Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii; Susan Collins, R-Maine; and Michael Bennet, D-Colo.; and Reps. Jamie Raskin, D-Md.; Anthony Gonzalez, R-Ohio; and Lori Trahan, D-Mass. Microsoft, Amazon, Google, Apple, Facebook, Charter Communications and the Internet Association support the legislation. Social media companies can’t be trusted to “do the right thing” for youth, said Eshoo. The bill would stop tech companies from evading scrutiny about their impact on child development, she said.