Exclusive: Senate candidate Mallory McMorrow has a plan for kids' online safety
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McMorrow speaks during the 2024 Democratic National Convention. Photo: Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images
Mallory McMorrow, a Democrat running for Senate in Michigan, is laying down a marker on kids' online privacy and AI as her primary race heats up, per an exclusive interview with Axios.
Why it matters: McMorrow, a state senator who currently leads polling in the Democratic primary, is among the first Democrats running for national office this year to roll out a comprehensive plan for kids' online safety.
What's inside: McMorrow's plan calls for:
- Banning cellphones in the classroom.
- Requiring social media platforms to have "privacy by default" settings for minors.
- Prohibiting social media providers from allowing users under age 14 to access features like "infinite scroll" and limiting push notifications.
- Prohibiting chatbots from representing themselves as licensed professionals.
- Expanding the Children's Online Privacy Act (COPPA) and passing comprehensive data privacy legislation.
What they're saying: "I hear from more and more parents expressing deep frustration that they have effectively lost their kids to their phones," McMorrow said in an interview.
- "It's by no fault of the kids. A lot of these apps are designed to keep you glued to the screen as hard as possible."
- "The Trump administration is saying, you know, 'We can't do anything to put regulations in place, because that hurts advancement.' And I know that that is simply not true."
- This year, McMorrow has helped lead Michigan Senate Democrats' "Kids Over Clicks," a legislative package aimed at social media addiction and online safety.
McMorrow said these issues fit in with affordability and other quality of life issues that resonate with voters.
- "There is no economic opportunity if you fall down this rabbit hole when you're a teenager, or if you're constantly depressed or you're constantly anxious," she said.
- "This is about finally putting forward a plan that recognizes that tech advancements are great, and we have to protect our kids in the same way that we don't let our kids smoke, drink or do whatever they want."
Reality check: Despite bipartisan interest, lawmakers on Capitol Hill have struggled for years to pass comprehensive privacy legislation and an expanded COPPA, along with other kids' online safety bills.
What we're watching: We'll be tracking whether others running for Congress this year make AI and online safety part of their campaigns.
