SR 431: Senate Impact of Social Media and Artificial Intelligence on Children and Platform Privacy Protection Study Committee; create

Senate Resolution 431

By: Senators Harrell of the 40th and Anavitarte of the 31st ADOPTED SENATE

A RESOLUTION

Creating the Senate Impact of Social Media and Artificial Intelligence on Children and Platform Privacy Protection Study Committee; and for other purposes.

WHEREAS, in the 21st century, children utilize social media through various online platforms as a means to participate in society, access information, enjoy entertainment, and connect with family and friends; and

WHEREAS, studies have shown that utilizing social media can have negative impacts on a child's health and self-esteem; and

WHEREAS, children undergo rapid and evolving physical, mental, and emotional development, rendering them more susceptible to the allure of peer pressure, novelty, and rewards inherent in online social media usage; and

WHEREAS, extensive research shows that online social media platforms are embedded with manipulative design techniques which promote addictive and compulsive use by children in order to increase revenue; and

WHEREAS, studies show that utilizing current social media platforms can expose children to significant privacy and safety risks; and

WHEREAS, artificial intelligence provides persons the opportunity to engage with greater numbers of children in more targeted ways than ever before; and

WHEREAS, children are now exposed to chatbot websites and apps, powered by artificial intelligence, that purport to allow children to interact with characters from popular media while actually engaging those children in obscene conversations; and

WHEREAS, existing online protections addressing children are outdated; and

WHEREAS, a study is needed to evaluate the impact social media usage and artificial intelligence has on children and to determine how existing online privacy protections may be improved and strengthened to ensure safer access.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE:

(1) Creation of Senate study committee. There is created the Senate Impact of Social Media and Artificial Intelligence on Children and Platform Privacy Protection Study Committee.

(2) Members and officers. The President of the Senate shall appoint five members of the Senate and shall designate two of such members as cochairpersons of the committee. One such cochairperson shall be a member of the majority party and one such cochairperson shall be a member of the minority party.

(3) Powers and duties. The committee shall undertake a study of the conditions, needs, issues, and problems mentioned above or related thereto and recommend any action or legislation which the committee deems necessary or appropriate.

(4) Meetings. The cochairpersons shall call all meetings of the committee. The committee may conduct such meetings at such places and at such times as it may deem necessary or convenient to enable it to exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and accomplish the objectives and purposes of this resolution.

(5) Allowances and funding.

(A) The legislative members of the committee shall receive the allowances provided for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.

(B) The allowances authorized by this resolution shall not be received by any member of the committee for more than four days unless additional days are authorized. Funds necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come from funds appropriated to the Senate.

(6) Report.

(A) In the event the committee adopts any specific findings or recommendations that include suggestions for proposed legislation, the cochairpersons shall file a report of the same prior to the date of abolishment specified in this resolution, subject to subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.

(B) In the event the committee adopts a report that does not include suggestions for proposed legislation, the cochairpersons shall file the report, subject to subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.

(C) No report shall be filed unless the same has been approved prior to the date of abolishment specified in this resolution by majority vote of a quorum of the committee. A report so approved shall be signed by the cochairpersons of the committee and filed with the Secretary of the Senate.

(D) In the absence of an approved report, the cochairpersons may file with the Secretary of the Senate a copy of the minutes of the meetings of the committee in lieu thereof.

(7) Abolishment. The committee shall stand abolished on December 1, 2025.