PRESS STATEMENT: South Carolina Legislature Passes Age-Appropriate Design Code Act, EIE Urges Governor to Sign
 

The bill, expected to be considered by SC Gov. Henry McMaster, will “provide that a covered online service shall exercise reasonable care in the use of minors’ personal data, restrict the amount of personal data of a minor that may be collected, provide for parental controls,” among other provisions.

“We applaud the South Carolina Legislature’s goal to protect children online through the Age-Appropriate Design Act and other efforts. Children are vulnerable to a myriad of online harms and threats to their safety. The burden of protection should not fall solely on parents, but on the tech platforms creating their products and platforms,” said Donna Rice Hughes, President and CEO, Enough Is Enough^®.

“Ultimately, our ultimate goal is to keep kids safe online,” said Rep. Brandon Guffey, R-York, whose 17-year-old son, Gavin, became a victim of online sextortion and tragically took his own life. Rep. Guffey has been a champion advocate for online safety solutions in South Carolina, like Gavin’s Law, and at the federal level.

“The reality is that tech companies consider our children a product – they are a growing audience that platforms can profit from – so these platforms want every opportunity to market to them, to keep them addicted, and to stay online longer. This is why the Big Tech lobby fights against any commonsense legislation that restricts children’s unfettered access. South Carolina and other states that are fighting back to protect children online are to be commended. We urge Gov. McMaster to sign this into law,” Hughes said.