Senator Reynolds Press Conference on Protecting Minors Online
COLUMBUS—State Senator Michele Reynolds held a press conference this morning announcing she is sponsoring Senate Bill 167 that would require parental consent and age verification for children to download certain apps.
"For too long we've placed the burden on parents to somehow monitor their children's activities across a complex digital landscape while expecting each app developer to have their own verification system," said Senator Reynolds. "This bill represents a better path forward—one that recognizes the central role app stores can play in empowering parents while ensuring minors have age-appropriate online experiences."
(Click here to view more of Senator Reynolds' remarks.)
Senate Bill 167 requires a three-fold approach for app stores:
- Verify a user's age at the device or operating system level.
- Obtain parental consent before a child under 16 is able to download apps.
- Share appropriate age information with developers to ensure teens are placed in age-appropriate versions of apps.
Representative Melanie Miller (R-Ashland) plans to introduce a companion bill in the Ohio House. Similar legislation has been proposed in eight other states with Utah's Governor recently signing their bill into law.
Joining Senator Reynolds at the press conference to support SB 167 were Miller, David Mahan with the Center for Christian Virtue, Tony Coder for Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation, and Lt. Brian Steel with the Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio.