In Indiana, keeping Hoosier kids safe online is one of our top priorities.
For years my fellow legislators and I have been working to stop social media companies from using addictive features that adversely impact the mental health of kids across the state.
Thankfully, Indiana, along with 46 other states, recently reached a settlement with Meta that will require Facebook and Instagram to implement limits on how teens can use their platforms.
These new limits will help protect kids' mental health by limiting the amount of time they can spend on social media. Teens will only be allowed to use Meta-run social media accounts for up to two hours a day across all platforms.
Meta will also restrict access to its apps between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m. and disable push notifications during school hours. Parents will be able to reduce the number of restrictions on their child’s account as and will be notified if their teen is searching for content relating to self-harm or messaging with an adult.
These nation-wide changes come after I sponsored a new law that restricts children younger than 16 in Indiana from setting up social media accounts unless their parents or guardians give consent. If a parent allows their son or daughter to open a social media account, certain algorithms and addictive features will be disabled.
As your State Senator, I will continue looking for ways to help our kids prosper. I hope to see more social media platforms integrating these safeguards, and I will continue working with my fellow legislators to ensure Hoosier teens are protected online.
As always, I encourage constituents to reach out to me with any questions or concerns by filling out a "Contact Me" form on the IndianaSenateRepublicans.com/Raatz website or by calling my office at 800-382-9467.
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State Sen. Jeff Raatz (R-Richmond) represents Senate District 27, which includes
Henry, Union and Wayne counties, and portions of Franklin County.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
