WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced a bipartisan resolution to commemorate Social Media Harms Victim Remembrance Day on June 23, 2024. Social Media Harms Victim Remembrance Day is observed annually to reflect on the need to create safe digital spaces for young people.
“Big tech companies have repeatedly shown an inability to safeguard children's data, ensure online safety, and prevent illicit fentanyl trafficking on their platforms,” said Klobuchar. “We must work together to address these longstanding issues and remember those we have lost.”
“While the internet has had many great benefits for communication, health care, and education, social media’s dark and addictive rabbit holes have harmed too many young people,” said Blackburn. “By designating June 23rd as ‘Social Media Harms Victim Remembrance Day,’ the Senate honors the young people who have lost their lives and have suffered harms on social media platforms.”
Social Media Harms Victim Remembrance Day was put forward by the families of Carson Bride, Alexander Neville, and Devin Norring. Carson was 16 when he was viciously cyberbullied by his high school classmates who were using anonymous apps on Snapchat. It was eventually too much to bear, and he took his own life. Alex was 14 when a drug dealer connected with him on Snapchat and sold him the pill that took his life. Devin was 19 when he bought what he thought was percocet on Snapchat for his dental pain and migraines. The pill turned out to be pure fentanyl.
Earlier this year, at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing titled “Big Tech and the Online Child Sexual Exploitation Crisis,” Klobuchar asked the CEO of Discord Inc., Jason Citron, CEO of TikTok Inc., Shou Chew, Co-founder and CEO of Snap Inc., Evan Spiegel, CEO of X, Linda Yaccarino, and Founder and CEO of Meta, Mark Zuckerberg about turning a blind eye when young children joined their platforms, the risk of sexual exploitation, using algorithms that push harmful content, and providing a venue for drug traffickers to sell deadly narcotics like fentanyl.
Senator Klobuchar is a cosponsor of the Cooper Davis Act, which would require social media companies and other communication service providers to report to the DEA when they know of the sale or distribution of illicit drugs including fentanyl, methamphetamine, or a counterfeit controlled substance on their platforms.
Senator Klobuchar is a cosponsor of the Strengthening Transparency and Obligations to Protection Children Suffering from Abuse and Mistreatment Act of 2023 (STOP CSAM Act). The legislation cracks down on the proliferation of child sex abuse material online, supports victims, and increases accountability and transparency for online platforms.
Senator Klobuchar is a cosponsor of the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). This bipartisan legislation to require social media platforms to make safety the default and to give kids and parents tools to help prevent the destructive impact of social media. KOSA also ensures that parents and policymakers can assess whether social media platforms are taking meaningful steps to address risks to kids.
Senator Klobuchar is also a cosponsor of the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0), bipartisan legislation to update online data privacy rules for the 21st century to ensure children and teenagers are protected online. This legislation passed the Senate Commerce Committee in July.
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