The Senate Study Committee on the Impact of Social Media and Artificial Intelligence on Children and Platform Privacy Protection has adopted its final report after five months of hearings. The committee, created by Senate Resolution 431 and co-chaired by Sen. Sally Harrell (D–Atlanta) and Sen. Shawn Still (R–Suwanee), reached a unanimous decision on December 10.
Testimony from parents, as well as experts in technology, education, and mental health, led the committee to conclude that existing laws have not kept up with changes in how children use online platforms. The bipartisan report urges new measures to give parents more control, protect children’s mental health and privacy, and require platforms to act responsibly while allowing for innovation.
“We’ve gone from a play-based childhood to a phone-based one, with kids spending roughly five hours a day on their phones instead of exploring the world around them, taking risks and learning how to correct mistakes. The result is a generation that’s more digitally connected but increasingly lonely, anxious and depressed. Through this Committee process, we heard heart-wrenching stories of kids taking their own lives as a result of these platforms,” said Sen. Harrell. “Parents are overwhelmed by the constantly changing landscape. Current parental controls are confusing, hard to use and ineffective. With the rapid development of AI, all of this is only going to get worse unless we act now.”
“We are putting this report forward knowing that the giant technology companies don’t want this. The Senate will be going into battle together to pass bipartisan legislation,” said Sen. Still. “There has to be a balance between profit and responsibility to protect our children. That balance will be our guiding light as we move into the 2026 Legislative Session.”
Key recommendations from the report include expanding Georgia’s cellphone ban during school hours to high schools; increasing digital literacy education; strengthening parental consent requirements before minors access digital platforms; reforming app store practices so parents can better manage downloads and content exposure; limiting platform design features that encourage excessive use; defining AI platforms as products subject to liability laws; implementing safeguards for AI systems used by minors such as safety testing and transparency requirements; improving default privacy protections for minors; clarifying data-use disclosures; and placing limits on targeted advertising toward children.
The full report is available on the Georgia General Assembly website.
Senator Sally Harrell represents District 40 in DeKalb and Gwinnett counties. Senator Shawn Still serves as Majority Caucus Chair representing District 48 in Forsyth, Fulton, and Gwinnett counties.
For media inquiries contact SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.
