NC bill would require social media networks to keep kids under 14 from using their apps

Bill advocate and North Carolina Rep. Jeff Zenger spoke about shielding children from predators and the importance of setting limits for parents in monitoring screen time.
Posted 4/1/2025, 9:45:00 AM Updated 4/1/2025, 9:28:22 PM

STILL WORKING TO FIND OUT WHAT

STARTED THE DEEP WOODS FIRE

PROTECTING KIDS ONLINE. THAT'S

THE INTENT OF A NEW BILL TO BAN

CHILDREN FROM SOCIAL MEDIA.

>> THE BUREAU, SHAUN GALLAGHER

SHOWS US WHY THIS IS A POINT OF

EMPHASIS FOR LAWMAKERS ON BOTH

SIDES OF THE ISSUE.

>> KIDS HAVE ACCESS TO IPADS,

LAPTOPS, EVEN SMARTPHONES RIGHT

AT THEIR FINGERTIPS. AND WITH

IT COMES TO WWW OF A DIFFERENT

VARIETY. THAT'S THE UNCHECKED

WORLD'S WILD WEST.

>> EVEN AT A YOUNG AGE, THESE

PARENTS ARE ALREADY THINKING

ABOUT THEIR KIDS. FUTURES A

FUTURE. THAT'S FACEBOOK LESS.

WE I PADS OR PHONES YET BECAUSE

THEY JUST WANT TO LIKE PROTECT

HIS LITTLE BRAIN AS MUCH AS I

CAN FEEL LIKE YOU'RE WORRIED

ABOUT POPULARITY AT ALL.

THE THINGS WHEN THEY SHOULD BE

WORRIED ABOUT PLAYING IN THE

DIRT. COURTNEY HEARTS, KIDS ARE

11, 8 YEARS OLD. SHE WANTS TO

KEEP THEM OFF THE INTERNET AS

LONG AS POSSIBLE. WHERE

HAPPENED TO STAY AWAY FROM

UNTIL LATE HASKELL TO THINK

IT'S TERRIBLE MEMBRANES SAY

THAT'S OUR HOPE AND HOPE IS

ALL SHE HAS AMASSED. THIS BILL

GOES THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE

SPILLS A BILL TO PREVENT MINORS

FROM BEING ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

IT'S LOOKING TO KEEP KIDS UNDER

14 OFF SOCIAL MEDIA ENTIRELY

AND ONLY ALLOWING 14 OR 15

YEAR-OLD JOHN, IF THEIR PARENTS

SIGN OFF. THE IDEA WAS TO PUT

SOMETHING UP THAT WOULD BE A

BACKSTOP FOR PARENTS.

>> SO THAT THEY CAN HELP

REGULATE. THIS IS SOCIAL MEDIA

IS IMMENSELY DAMAGING TO THE

LIVES OF YOUNG PEOPLE. GOVERNOR

JOSH STEIN HAS AND SAID HE'LL

SUPPORT THE BILLS WHILE HE WAS

ATTORNEY GENERAL. HE WAS BEHIND

LAWSUITS AGAINST FACEBOOK,

INSTAGRAM AND TIKTOK. THESE

COMPANIES SEE CHILDREN NOT AS

CHILDREN WHO DESERVE

PROTECTION. THEY SEE THEM AS

PEOPLE TO EXPLOIT DOLLAR SIGNS.

AND THAT'S WRONG. IT'S

DAMAGING. WE HAVE GOT TO DO

MORE TO PROTECT OUR YOUNG

PEOPLE. THE BILL THREATENS THE

COMPANIES WITH A $50,000 FINE

PER UNDER AGE USER, BUT IT

DOESN'T CARRY DETAILS ON HOW

THEY ENFORCE THIS. IF YOU JUST

LIVING WITH THE GRANDMOTHER

PART OF THE TIME, I MEAN, THIS

IS GOING TO BE A LITTLE MORE

DIFFICULT TO IMPLEMENT THAT.

I THINK WE EVEN CAN BEGIN TO

RECOGNIZE THE BILL SPONSOR

ARGUES THERE'S ALREADY

TECHNOLOGY IN PLACE FOR AGE

VERIFICATION. WHETHER YOU WANT

TO GAMBLE ONLINE BY ALCOHOL OR

EVEN GUNS ONLINE AS WELL.

THE BILL DID GET FAVORABLE

APPROVAL WILL MOVE TO THE NEXT

STEP AND THE PROCESS, BUT STILL

A WAYS AWAY BEFORE WILL BE ON

THE GOVERNOR'S DESK.

>> IN DURHAM, SHAUN GALLAGHER,

WRAL NEWS

>> SO HELLO TO CHILDREN BE TO

ACCESS SOCIAL MEDIA. IT'S IS

THE SUBJECT OF OUR WRAL LIVE

COAL. HERE ARE THE RESULTS.

MORE THAN HALF OF YOU BELIEVE

CHILDREN SHOULD BE AT LEAST

17 TO ACCESS SOCIAL MEDIA.

YOU CAN SHARE YOUR VOICE RIGHT

NOW BY SCANNING THE QR CODE ON

YOUR SCREEN OR JUST GO TO WRAL