LINCOLN- State lawmakers are one debate away from adopting two bills backed by Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen meant to increase online safety for minors and curb student phone use at school. Senators on Wednesday, by voice vote, advanced Legislative Bill 504, the “Age-Appropriate Online Design Code Act” by State Sen. Carolyn Bosn of Lincoln. It would require online services to explicitly protect minor users and their personal information in the physical design of certain applications or websites, including social media.

LB 504’s goal is to tackle rising youth social media use and harms such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, bullying, harassment, stalking, suicide, and more. Bosn, a former deputy county attorney in Lancaster and Saunders Counties and a mother of four young children, said the online services covered under her bill profit off of users’ data, including from screen time, clicks, or purchases. She added that families know the importance of bills such as LB 504 and how difficult it is to stay ahead of an “ever-changing online world.”

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