American Family Association Action (AFA Action), is a non-profit 501(c)(4) organization dedicated to advancing biblical, family values in society and government by educating and influencing public policy. AFA Action is also the Governmental Affairs Affiliate of American Family Association (AFA).
TUPELO, Miss. — Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves has signed into law the Keeping Kids Safe Online Act (HB 1224). The law allows significant civil penalties against Big Tech companies that subject kids to harm from addictive social media platforms. It also enables parents to recover monetary damages against addictive social media platforms that repeatedly expose children to illegal pornography.
“Mississippi lawmakers stood up to Big Tech and said, ‘Not in Mississippi. Not our kids,’” said Trey Dellinger, senior legal fellow for AFA Action, the governmental affairs affiliate of the American Family Association. “This law is about protecting kids from health risks. State lawmakers are creating a pathway for legal liability when social media companies harm children. We provide protection against other products that harm kids, like lead paint, alcohol, tobacco and dangerous drugs. There is a growing realization that social media is not just innocent fun for kids. Sexual predators, child pornographers and human traffickers are using it to target young people. The Keeping Kids Safe Online Act gives parents the helping hand they need to protect children from the harmful aspects of social media usage.”
Civil penalties under the Keeping Kids Safe Online Act can reach $10,000 per violation if online platforms make false representations about or fail to disclose or warn of the risks these platforms pose for children. The law also directs the Mississippi Department of Education to develop a curriculum to educate students in grades 6 to 12 about internet safety.
“This legislation is a model for other states. It provides reasonable, constitutional protections that help parents keep their kids safe online,” said Dr. Jameson Taylor, Director of AFA Action’s Center for Government Renewal. “AFA Action thanks Gov. Reeves for signing this bill into law. We again want to thank Representative Joey Hood for expertly guiding this legislation to passage and Senator Brice Wiggins for his leadership in the Senate. Finally, we want to thank Speaker Jason White and Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann for their support for the Keeping Kids Safe Online Act.”
AFA Action is a non-profit 501(c)(4) organization dedicated to advancing biblical family values in society and government by shaping public policy through education and advocacy. The mission of AFA Action is to inform and mobilize individuals to strengthen the biblical foundations of America by persuading individuals with the truth of the Gospel, challenging the lost to repent, promoting societal values that are consistent with Scripture, restraining evil and exposing the works of darkness, motivating people to take a stand on cultural and moral issues, and encouraging Christians to bear witness to the world the love of Jesus Christ. Find AFA Action Alerts here.
For more information on the American Family Association, visit www.afa.net or follow AFA on Facebook or X.
For more information on AFA Action, visit www.afaaction.net or follow AFA Action on Facebook or X.
To interview an AFA or AFA Action spokesperson, contact Hamilton Strategies, [email protected], or Beth Bogucki, 610.584.1096, ext. 105, or Daniel Moyer, ext. 104.
AFA Action is a non-profit 501(c)(4) organization dedicated to advancing biblical, family values in society and government by educating and influencing public policy. AFA Action is also the Governmental Affairs Affiliate of American Family Association.