Texas joint committee hears victims, researchers on social media harms to minors; adopts committee rules

The Joint Committee to Study the Effects of Media on Minors convened in Austin and adopted committee rules before a daylong hearing that included testimony from pediatricians, researchers, survivors and advocacy groups about the effects of social media on children.

The hearing focused on evidence and personal accounts that social-media platforms and related technology can be addictive, expose minors to sexually explicit material and enable trafficking and other harms. The committee’s work was created by recent legislation and members told witnesses they intend to carry bills this session that aim to limit those harms.

Why it matters: Witnesses described clinical and forensic evidence that exposure to explicit and violent online material, algorithm-driven feeds and targeted advertising can contribute to addictionlike behaviors, mental-health harms and, in some cases, sexual exploitation. Lawmakers repeatedly cited state and federal legislative options including age verification, default child-protective settings and limits on data collection as tools they are considering.

Dr. Lindy McGee, a Houston pediatrician testifying for the Texas Medical Association and the Texas Pediatric Society, said lawmakers should “make it less addictive and safer” and praised what she called provisions…