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Senate ranking member warns AI and screens are hurting childrens learning and mental health
Summary
On the Senate floor, the ranking member of the Senate HELP Committee cited declines in reading and writing scores and rising screen time as reasons to worry about AI and algorithm-driven platforms, warning that companies engineered products to "addict kids" and that AI could replace teachers without evidence it would help learning.
The ranking member used research and anecdote to link rising screen time to declining academic performance and worsening mental health among children. He said "about 40% of children have a tablet by age 2" and that a typical five-year-old "spends over 3.5 hours per day on screens," arguing these trends have contributed to lower reading and writing scores.
He cited testimony from former employees at major tech companies, saying algorithms were designed to increase engagement and that a senior Meta researcher called Instagram "a drug." He warned that some companies now aim to push AI and robots into classrooms and asked whether there is evidence that such technology would improve learning outcomes or children's well-being.
