After Australia passes social media ban lawmakers probed on why Congress hasn't done more to protect kids

After Australian teens were kicked off of social media this week following a nationwide social media ban for anyone in the country under the age of several lawmakers and other political figures called on the United States to do something similar Congress has passed certain general online safety laws such as limits on the collection of minors' information by social media platforms but thus far Congress has not enacted any laws that would change who can use social media platforms or how the apps are designed for minors I imagine it's the opposition from the tech industry revealed Rep Ritchie Torres D-N Y I see social media as a catastrophe for the mental strength of the next generation and I feel like society is conducting an unprecedented experiment on the psyche of young Americans TEXAS FAMILY SUES CHARACTER AI AFTER CHATBOT ALLEGEDLY ENCOURAGED AUTISTIC SON TO HARM PARENTS AND HIMSELFTorres added that he believes there is a need for transformation but also conceded that it is a complicated area in light of the First Amendment I do think more congressional action would be wise Rep Dusty Johnson R-S D narrated Fox News Digital when inquired why he thought Congress had not passed laws that will better protect kids on social media Obviously we're a country that values freedom and so a lot of people feel like that would be either power better exercised by the state or power better exercised by parents However Johnson disclosed he does think we need to hold several of these platforms accountable noting that they have technological tools that they could very easily use to keep kids safe After Australia passed its social medi ban on kids under the age of both Republicans and Democrats came out to urge the United States to enact better safety measures for kids on social media These figures included former President Barack Obama's chief of staff while he was in office Rahm Emanuel Sen Katie Britt R-Ala Sen John Cornyn R-Texas and Sen Brian Schatz D-Hawaii PROTECTING KIDS FROM AI CHATBOTS WHAT THE GUARD ACT MEANSRep Ralph Norman R-S C notified Fox News Digital that one of the reasons Congress has potentially stalled on passing statute to protect kids on social media was because a lot of people don't know about the dangers I think it's gotten worse Norman declared in regard to the dangers of social media for kids Got to have an age and got to track down something that is destroying our children However various Republicans have also been weary of the push to regulate social media for kids particularly efforts to create an age limit for the platforms Rep Lauren Boebert R-Colo recounted Fox News Digital that she would likely not be in favor of an all-out ban I'm still a capitalist and there's federalism and we have freedom here Boeert mentioned But we have a lot of good regulation for solutions but unfortunately leadership prioritizes things that the American people don't and I think it's time to read the room of America so we can pass good law