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Legislators on Wednesday introduced a bipartisan bill aimed at protecting children from the potentially harmful impacts of social media. The bill, sponsored by Sens. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., came as Congress held five hearings on the dangers of social media for children and teens aged 16 or younger in recent months, including one at which a whistleblower who testified against Facebook -- now Meta -- about internalized documents that showed the tech giant prioritized profits over the mental well-being of children. (Guevara, 2/16)

Two California lawmakers are proposing a web overhaul to protect California kids when they’re online, the most sweeping privacy measure since voters approved the California Privacy Rights Act in 2020. The bipartisan proposal from Assemblymembers Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) and Jordan Cunningham (R-Templeton) is modeled after a 2020 U.K. law requiring online products that children will likely use to adjust their design and operations to improve kids’ privacy and safety. (Luthi, 2/16)

The bill also establishes an obligation for companies to prevent the promotion of self-harm, eating disorders, bullying and the sexual abuse of children. And it would allow the federal government to create a program for researchers to access data from companies so that they can do more research about tech’s potential harm of children and teens. (Zakrzewski, 2/16)

Online harassment has become such a familiar part of the internet that it can be hard to imagine the web without it. From teen cyberbullying to authoritarian governments silencing dissent, online toxicity is a fact of life for everyone, with women, teens and religious and racial minorities the most likely to be targeted. And there is evidence the problem is getting worse. In 2014, 15% of Americans said they had faced severe or significant online abuse, defined as stalking, physical threats, sustained harassment or sexual harassment. In 2021 the number was 25%, according to studies by the Pew Charitable Trusts. (Klepper, 2/16)

State House members on Monday advanced a bill that would allow professionals such as therapists and psychologists to authorize excused absences for students. The House Early Learning & Elementary Education Subcommittee unanimously approved the measure (HB 289). Only physicians currently are allowed to write notes attesting to illnesses or conditions that would excuse students’ absences. The House proposal would permit any “other licensed professional as determined by school board policy” to write such notes on behalf of students. (2/16)

Young people’s mental health is in such bad shape that several of the country’s leading pediatric groups called it a national emergency last fall. U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy even issued an advisory – a move reserved for the most urgent public health challenges – highlighting the COVID-19 pandemic’s devastating impact on the already-dire state of children’s mental health. “It would be a tragedy if we beat back one public health crisis only to allow another to grow in its place,” Murthy wrote, outlining recommendations on how agencies such as schools can take action. (Wong, 2/16)

There's a growing consensus that the pandemic has taken a big emotional toll on young people. Among other troubling signs, children's hospitals across the country have seen more kids showing up in their emergency rooms for mental health reasons, seeking care for everything from severe anxiety and eating disorders to suicide attempts. The vast majority of Americans – 87% – are concerned about the wellbeing of the next generation, according to a new poll. In response to the crisis, a group of 17 national mental health organizations are calling for a new investment in school-based mental health support for kids. The group published a new report this week rating states based on how well they are addressing the crisis through programs and services in schools. (Chatterjee, 2/16)