April 13 (UPI) -- Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are considering more than a dozen bill proposals to protect children online and many approaches face free speech and privacy challenges.
At least 19 bills have been introduced and remain under consideration, proposing measures like age verification, restricting addictive designs, increasing parental controls and addressing content.
Jennifer Huddleston, senior fellow in technology policy for the Cato Institute, told UPI that the volume of proposals before Congress demonstrates the seriousness and complexity of issues related to child safety online.
"First, it does show that there are large public and policymaker questions about how young people are using social media," Huddleston said. "However, that volume also shows that there's not a general consensus on what, if anything, should be done in response to those concerns."
Risks to children online
