LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced her next pivotal piece of legislation on Thursday.
SB391, also called the "Social Media Safety Act," will attempt to hold social media companies accountable by requiring them to verify the ages of their users. If they don't, companies could face a lawsuit.
The bill is sponsored by Sen. Tyler Dees and Rep. Jon Eubanks.
"Cyberbullies, inappropriate material [and] adults who prey on children... they're all accessible on these platforms just a click away," Sanders said.
But how would this work? A person looking to make an account would provide an I.D. card, a copy of a driver's license, or a government-issued I.D.
"We will no longer allow harmful material online," Dees said. "We will empower our parents through this act and that's why we filed this bill."
The bill also details that once a person's age is determined, the company can not hold any identifying information. Companies that do so could face legal action.
"If parents are not monitoring the sites their children are going to, they're putting their children at risk," Eubanks said.
According to Sanders, the act would be enforced through the hiring of third-party businesses at their own expense. These third-party businesses would make sure social media companies are following the rules.
Sanders said the attorney general's office could also hold these companies accountable and parents accountable.
If a social media company does not comply with this, someone could sue them for damages, including court costs and attorney's fees.
The bill has been introduced to the Senate and is now in committee.