Technology is an important part of daily life. According to 2023 Pew Research, 95% of teens have smartphones and 65% have tablets. “Smart” devices can solve infinitely complex equations, measure sleep quality and remind people to take insulin. Yet almost none of them has been designed with children in mind.
It’s a well-established fact that pornography harms children. A meta-analysis of 37 studies found that exposure to violent or rape pornography increased a child’s odds of experiencing sexual exploitation by nearly three times. Research shows that children are more susceptible than adults to addictions and developmental effects on the brain.
What if a simple software update could prevent a child from being exposed to traumatizing, highly addictive and obscene material? What if a filter is already installed on a device but is turned off?
As adults, we want to make things as safe as possible for children. That’s why medicine bottles are so hard to open. We don’t purchase cars with seatbelts hidden in the trunk, hoping the owner figures out how to install them. We don’t allow minors to buy cigarettes because, like obscenity, we’ve recognized that tobacco is harmful.
SB104 simply requires manufacturers to turn on existing filters that block obscene material when a minor activates a device. It defaults the filter to “on” instead of “off” for children. Utah has a moral obligation to protect children from this harm.
Some say it’s not feasible, but the technology is already there. Utah has always put families and children first and has never let precedence get in the way. By mandating safeguard capabilities from the get-go, we make protecting children the standard, not an afterthought.
Others might object to the bill because “protecting kids is a parent’s responsibility.” And I wholeheartedly agree. We’re not asking Apple and Google to do the job of Utah parents. We’re asking them to make it less difficult for parents to do so.
It’s not a silver bullet. It doesn’t prevent all digital harm. Instead, it’s surgical, technical and simple. It doesn’t impact retailers, cellular network providers, film, television or streaming services.
SB104, the “Children’s Device Protection Act,” is responsible, careful, narrow legislation. If enacted, it can prevent early, accidental exposure to potentially life-altering and obscene content for children. Utah has never shied away from tackling challenging issues, especially when it comes to helping our youth. Together, we can do right by them.
Todd Weiler is a Republican member of the Utah State Senate.