The SCREEN Act, or Shielding Children's Retinas from Egregious Exposure on the Net Act, is a proposed law aimed at protecting minors from harmful online content. It requires websites to verify the age of their users to prevent children from accessing inappropriate material, like pornography.
What This Bill Does
The SCREEN Act is designed to keep kids safe online by making sure they can't easily access harmful content. It requires websites that profit from such content to use technology that checks a user's age before they can see it. This means that if you're trying to visit a site with adult content, you'll need to prove you're not a minor.
To do this, the bill says websites must publish the methods they use to verify age. They also have to check users' IP addresses to make sure they're not using tricks like VPNs to hide their real location, unless the user is outside the United States.
The bill also takes privacy seriously. It demands that websites protect any personal information they collect during this age-checking process. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will oversee these rules, making sure websites follow them and conducting regular audits to ensure compliance.
Why It Matters
For parents, this bill could be a big help in keeping their kids safe from harmful online content. With 80% of teenagers reportedly exposed to online pornography, the SCREEN Act aims to reduce this exposure and its potential negative effects on young minds.
However, the bill also affects adults who want to access legal adult content. They will need to go through age verification, which might involve sharing personal information. This raises concerns about privacy and data security for everyone using these websites.
Key Facts
- Cost/Budget Impact: There is no specific cost estimate available for the SCREEN Act.
- Timeline for Implementation: The FTC must issue guidance within 180 days of the bill's enactment.
- Number of People Affected: The bill primarily targets minors and adults using platforms with harmful content, as well as the platforms themselves.
- Key Dates: Introduced on February 26, 2025, and currently in committee.
- International Precedents: Other countries have implemented similar age-verification systems.
- Historical Context: Previous attempts to regulate online content for minors have been struck down by courts, but this bill aims to address those legal concerns.
- Bipartisan Interest: A companion bill exists in the House, indicating broader legislative interest.
Arguments in Support
- Protecting Children: Supporters say the bill is crucial for shielding kids from harmful content that can affect their mental and emotional development.
- Government's Role: They argue that the government has a responsibility to protect children, and this bill is a modern way to do that.
- Technological Advances: Proponents believe that current technology makes age verification feasible and effective.
- Narrow Focus: The bill targets only those platforms that profit from harmful content, which supporters say makes it more likely to withstand legal challenges.
- Market Failure: Advocates argue that existing market solutions like parental controls have failed, necessitating government intervention.
Arguments in Opposition
- First Amendment Concerns: Critics worry that the bill could infringe on free speech by making it harder to access legal adult content.
- Privacy Risks: Opponents are concerned about the amount of personal data that would be collected and the potential for breaches.
- Implementation Challenges: Some argue that verifying age online is difficult and could require sensitive information like government IDs.
- Impact on Small Platforms: There are fears that the costs of compliance could be too high for smaller websites, stifling innovation.
- VPN Issues: Critics point out that the bill's approach to VPNs could harm legitimate uses of these privacy tools.