MONTPELIER – The Vermont Senate Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs Committee today passed Chair Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale’s Vermont Kids Code bill (S.289), a nation-leading effort to protect children and their data online.

“I know how much our young people go through … to know that even some people in this room have gone through that and come out through the other side to help other kids is really meaningful,” said Sen. Ram Hinsdale. “I’m grateful to the Committee for putting this much time and effort into this bill.”

The Committee passed the children’s design and data privacy bill with a unanimous vote after hearing supportive testimony from Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark. The legislation will now head to the Senate floor for further consideration.

“We heartily support this bill. We have a unique perspective in that we have brought a lawsuit against Meta,” said Attorney General Clark. “This need is so great and it’s one of those areas where the more you learn about it, the more urgent the need feels. So I’m so happy this Committee is responding to the need with this bill.”

“Our coalition of parents, young people, educators, health care professionals and technologists applauds today’s action on the Vermont Kids Code with a unanimous vote reflective of widespread support across the state for protecting young people from harmful online products, and we are especially grateful to Sen. Ram Hinsdale for her steadfast leadership,” said Vermont Kids Code Coalition spokesperson Camille Carlton.

Vermonters and national experts testifying to the Committee in support of the bill over the past month included UVM Medical Center pediatrician Dr. Heidi Schumacher; Facebook/Meta whistleblower Frances Haugen; Chittenden County youth advocate Juniper Galvani; Design It For Us youth advocate Zamaan Qureshi; Vermont parents Kelsey Root-Winchester and Robin Junker Boyce; Council for Responsible Media co-chairs Richard Gephardt and Kerry Healey; Dr. Jenny Radesky; and author Gaia Bernstein.

Rep. Monique Priestley has introduced companion legislation (H.712) in the House, where action is pending in the House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development.

A recording of today’s vote can be found here, which followed the Committee’s Feb. 29, Feb. 27, Feb. 23 and Feb. 15 bill hearings. To learn more about the legislation and the youth digital crisis it seeks to address, visit VermontKidsCode.com.

Recent news

Community News Service – ’Vermont Kids Code’ would ban big tech from collecting children’s data in harmful ways (Brooke Burns, 3/1/24)

Vermont Public – Can Vermont lawmakers rein in Big Tech to protect kids? (Peter Hirschfeld, 2/16/24)

Rutland Herald – Vermont lawmakers hear about bill to protect kids from social media (Keith Whitcomb Jr, 2/15/24)

WCAX – Vermont Kids Code pushes for internet safety (Melissa Cooney, 2/6/24)

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