Alabama's state legislature is in session, and big decisions are already on the table. One of the first is kids' online safety.
That conversation is now focused on House Bill 161, a proposal that would require app stores to verify age and obtain parental consent before minors can download apps.
As a concerned parent, I understand why this issue feels urgent. Families across Alabama are worried about how social media affects children's mental health, self-image and relationships. Those concerns are real and supported by evidence.
Platforms like Instagram and Facebook are not neutral tools. They are intentionally designed to capture attention and maximize engagement. Many reports and internal documents have shown that Meta, the company behind both platforms, knew its products could harm young users and repeatedly chose growth over meaningful reform. Engagement was prioritized over children's well-being.
That is the harm parents are asking lawmakers to address.
The legislation being considered, however, places the burden of age verification and parental consent on app stores and parents, rather than on the social media companies that design algorithms, promote content, and profit from engagement-driven systems. App stores do not control platform design, recommendation engines, or content moderation decisions. Parents do not either. Yet under HB 161, they would effectively become the primary gatekeepers.
This approach shifts responsibility from the companies that created the problem to entities that do not control it.
We also need to look at other states that have tried similar approaches. Just weeks ago, a federal judge blocked a similar law in Texas that relied on age verification and parental consent through app stores. The court raised serious First Amendment concerns and stopped the law before it could take effect. That ruling should give Alabama lawmakers pause as they consider whether HB 161 is both durable and the right approach.
Texas moved quickly, and its law never made it past the courtroom. Alabama should learn from that experience rather than repeat it.
Protecting kids online is too important to rush. Alabama has an opportunity to lead by slowing down, asking hard questions and focusing on real accountability from social media companies like Meta. That means getting online safety right and placing responsibility where it belongs. Our children deserve more than quick fixes; they deserve thoughtful approaches that are not rushed through the statehouse.
Sunny Black is a mother and schoolteacher in Madison, Alabama.
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of 1819 News. To comment, please send an email with your name and contact information to [email protected].
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