Nessel, lawmakers push for social media restrictions to protect Michigan children
Attorney General Dana Nessel hosted a roundtable with parents and lawmakers Thursday to push for new legislation protecting children from harmful social media content.
LANSING, MICHIGAN — Attorney General Dana Nessel and state Senator Dayna Polehanki joined parent advocates Thursday to discuss the harmful effects social media platforms and AI chatbots have on young people, urging passage of legislation to increase protections for children online.
The roundtable, hosted by Nessel on April 16, brought together parents, students, physicians, and advocates to examine how social media companies target children with harmful content. The group advocated for the Kids Over Clicks bill package proposed by Senate Democrats, which would impose new limitations and regulations on social media platforms.
Parents Express Gratitude for Legislative Support
Representatives from the Michigan Parent Alliance for Safe Schools participated in the roundtable and thanked Nessel for organizing the event. Jennifer Tuksal, an Oakland County parent of teen children and alliance member, praised state officials for supporting families seeking online safety protections.
“We are grateful to Attorney General Dana Nessel and Michigan legislators for standing with families who simply want our children to be safe when they go online, whether to chat with friends, play games or check out fashion trends,” Tuksal said in a press release. “No child should ever be exposed to dangerous content so Big Tech can keep them glued to screens to make more profits.”
Lawmakers Cite Growing Accountability Movement
Polehanki, who represents Livonia in the state Senate, emphasized the preventable nature of harm caused by social media and artificial intelligence companies. She pointed to recent court decisions as evidence of growing recognition about the dangers of unregulated tech platforms.
“From social media addiction and data privacy abuses to dangerous, inappropriate chatbot interactions, the harms caused to our kids by social media and AI companies are not only disturbing and unacceptable — they’re also preventable,” Polehanki said. “As courts across the nation begin to recognize the real consequences of allowing Big Tech to go unchecked, it’s more important than ever to hold these companies accountable.”
Recent Court Victories Against Tech Companies
The roundtable comes after landmark court rulings in March found social media and tech companies liable for harm to children. In New Mexico, a jury determined that social media algorithms used by Facebook’s parent company caused damage to young users.
The Kids Over Clicks legislation package aims to establish new regulatory frameworks for how social media platforms can interact with minors. The Senate Democratic proposal seeks to limit the ways companies can collect data from children and restrict exposure to potentially harmful content.
According to the Michigan Department of Attorney General, the roundtable included discussions about specific cases where children suffered harm through social media interactions and AI chatbot conversations. Advocates emphasized the need for immediate action to prevent future incidents.
