Urges Congress and President of US to enact "Kids Online Safety Act."

SR71

SENATE RESOLUTION No. 71

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 5, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� KRISTIN M. CORRADO

District 40 (Bergen, Essex and Passaic)

SYNOPSIS

���� Urges Congress and President of US to enact �Kids
Online Safety Act.�

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

A Senate
Resolution
respectfully urging Congress and
the President of the United States to enact the �Kids Online Safety Act.�

Whereas,

Social media use is associated with poor mental health outcomes for minors; and

Whereas,

By design, social media platforms create addictive behavior patterns through
likes, shares, and comments, which trigger the brain�s reward center and
elevate dopamine levels in users; and

Whereas,

As a result, over the past decade, the frequency of social media use has risen
among tweens (children between the ages of 8 and 12 years old) and teenagers
(children between the ages of 13 and 17 years old); and

Whereas,

The nonprofit research organization Common Sense Media found that overall
screen use among tweens increased by 17 percent from 2019 to 2021, with 38
percent having used social media and 18 percent reportedly using social media
every day; and

Whereas,

The Pew Research Center noted even stronger trends among teenagers, reporting
that 95 percent use social media and that 35 percent self-identify as frequent
users; and

Whereas,

Simultaneously, the prevalence of mental illness among these populations has
grown at an alarming rate; and

Whereas,

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 36.7 percent of
adolescents aged 12 to 17 report feeling sad or hopeless, 18.8 percent have
seriously considered attempting suicide, and 15.7 percent have developed a
suicide plan; and

Whereas,

A seminal 2020 psychological study found strong associations between increased
social media use and higher rates of mental illness among minors, especially
adolescent girls; and

Whereas,

Since then, several studies have published findings to support the negative
impact of social media on depression, anxiety, and body dysmorphia disorders
among children and adolescents; and

Whereas,

Despite this concerning research, social media companies have yet to
meaningfully address the mental health side effects of social media use among
children and adolescents; and

Whereas,

The federal �Kids Online Safety Act,� if enacted, would promote data safety, prevent
and mitigate patterns of use that indicate or encourage addictive behaviors,
expand parental control features, and require social media platforms to prevent
promotion of harmful material for minors; and

Whereas,

By enacting the �Kids Online Safety Act,� Congress and the President of the
United States can address the growing mental health crisis associated with
social media use among children and adolescents; now, therefore,

����
Be It
Resolved
by the Senate of the State of New
Jersey:

���� 1.��� This House respectfully
urges Congress and the President of the United States to enact the �Kids Online
Safety Act.�

���� 2.��� Copies of this
resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the
Secretary of the Senate to the President of the United States, the Speaker and
the Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives, the Majority
and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate, and each member of Congress
elected from this State.

STATEMENT

���� This resolution urges Congress
and the President of the United States to enact the �Kids Online Safety Act.�

���� Social media use is associated
with poor mental health outcomes for minors. �Social media platforms are
designed to promote addictive behavior patterns, encouraging its users to
engage with social media more frequently and for a greater length of time.� As
a result, over the past decade, the rate of social media use has risen significantly
among both tween (children between the ages of 8 and 12 years old) and teenage
(children between the ages of 13 and 17 years old) populations.�
Simultaneously, the prevalence of mental illness among children and adolescents
has grown at an alarming rate.

���� Despite the growing wealth of
research on the negative impact of social media on child and adolescent mental
health, the social media sector has yet to meaningfully address the mental
health impact of its technology on minors.� The federal �Kids Online Safety Act,�
if enacted, would promote data safety, prevent and mitigate patterns of use
that indicate or encourage addictive behaviors, expand parental control
features, and require social media platforms to prevent promotion of harmful
material for minors.� By enacting the �Kids Online Safety Act,� Congress and
the President of the United States can address the growing mental health crisis
associated with social media use among children and adolescents.