(from Indiana Public Media)

Indiana lawmakers are considering a bill that would limit social media accounts for minors below the age of 16 unless they receive permission from a parent or guardian. The Senate Judiciary Committee discussed and listened to testimony on the bill Wednesday.

SB 11 requires social media companies to authenticate parental permission when users indicate they’re 15 or younger. If a child is able to create an account without permission, that child’s parents could seek damages from the social media company.

“The goal is not to just fine and punish and penalize. That’s not what we’re trying to do here,” said Sen. Mike Bohacek (R-Michiana Shores), one of the bill’s authors. “What we’re trying to do is get our kids supervised.”

Bohacek authored a bill last year that requires pornographic websites to use age verification methods. That law took effect in August and faces lawsuits from multiple pornography websites.

Bohacek said protecting children is also at the heart of this new bill, and limiting social media use for younger children will protect their mental health.

“There’s already empirical studies about how bad this is hurting our children. We know suicide rates are up,” he said.

The current version of the bill would also let minors who are bullied on social media seek damages from the person who bullied them, or that person’s parents.