LA Governor Signs Measure to Protect Kids Online

Decency, , , ,

News outlets report Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry has signed the App Store Accountability Act into law. The measure requires online app stores to verify users’ ages, and it prevents minors from downloading apps or making in-app purchases without parental consent.

The law is similar to measures Arkansas has enacted over the years to protect children from harmful content online.

There is mounting evidence that — by design — social media platforms are not appropriate for children.

TikTok has long been under fire for serving kids a steady “diet of darkness” online and struggling to protect private user data from entities in China, such as the Chinese Communist Party. Facebook and Instagram have been accused of using algorithms intentionally designed “to exploit human psychology and foster addiction to maximize users’ screen time.”

As we have said before, tech companies and social media platforms are more than just websites or phone apps. These are multimillion-dollar businesses. The people who own and profit from these companies have a responsibility to protect their users — especially children.

We appreciate policymakers who take this issue seriously and work hard to enact legislation protecting children on the internet.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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European Countries Implement Age-Verification Laws Protecting Children from Pornography

Legislation, ,

The BBC reports countries in Europe are implementing age-verification measures to protect children from pornographic material online. The laws are similar to legislation Arkansas and other states began enacting in 2023.

Act 612 of 2023 by Sen. Tyler Dees (R – Siloam Springs) and Rep. Mindy McAlindon (R – Centerton) requires pornographic websites to implement an age verification process to protect children from pornography. The measure passed with nearly unanimous support in the legislature. The law took effect on August 1, 2023, prompting PornHub to disable access to its website from Arkansas. To date, at least eight other states have passed laws similar to Act 612.

Technology has given children unprecedented access to pornography, and Family Council is deeply grateful to Sen. Tyler Dees and Rep. Mindy McAlindon for sponsoring Act 612 and to the members of the Arkansas General Assembly for overwhelmingly supporting the passage of this good law.

Laws like Act 612 are one way we can help protect children from finding pornographic content online — even by accident. We look forward to continuing to work with parents and policymakers to protect children online in the future.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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A.I. Accountability: Lawmakers File Measures Addressing Deepfake Pornography, Child Sexual Abuse Material

Legislation, , , ,

New legislation at the capitol would help address AI-generated pornography in Arkansas.

H.B. 1518 by Rep. Stephen Meeks (R — Greenbrier) and Sen. Missy Irvin (R — Mountain View) makes it a crime to create, distribute, possess, or view AI-generated sexual material depicting children.

H.B. 1529 by Rep. Stephen Meeks (R — Greenbrier) and Sen. Clint Penzo (R — Springdale) prohibits people from using artificial intelligence to create and distribute “deepfake” pornographic images depicting another individual without that individual’s consent.

In 2001 the Arkansas Legislature passed Act 1496 addressing computer exploitation of a child. The law generally makes it a felony to produce or reproduce child sexual abuse material “by computerized means.”

At the time there was serious discussion about how computers and computer software could be used to manufacture child sexual abuse material. Of course, in 2001 very few people could have imagined today’s artificial intelligence technology, but lawmakers recognized the need to address the issue — and Family Council supported the good law they passed.

Arkansas also has passed laws prohibiting people from distributing pornographic images of another person without the person’s consent, but the law does not address AI-generated images. News outlets have reported how deepfake pornography can be used to harass or intimidate victims. States are working to enact laws protecting innocent people from AI-generated pornography.

Artificial intelligence has advanced by leaps and bounds in recent years. AI-generated pornography is now a serious concern. State laws must stay ahead of the technology. Measures like H.B. 1518 and H.B. 1529 help do that.

You Can Read H.B. 1518 Here. You Can Read H.B. 1529 Here.

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