Arkansas – Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has introduced two new pieces of legislation aimed at strengthening social media protections for minors in the state. The legislation, which was called for during her 2025 State of the State address, is sponsored by Senator Tyler Dees (District 35) and Representative Jon Eubanks (District 46).
“Arkansas has led the nation on commonsense, conservative reforms to protect kids online, and these additional protections continue that effort,” Sanders stated. She emphasized that parents should have the ability to take legal action against social media companies if their children are harmed by online content.
The proposed legislation would establish a private right of action for parents whose children attempt or commit suicide due to exposure to harmful online material, allowing them to sue social media companies in state court. It also seeks to amend the Social Media Safety Act of 2023 by clarifying the definition of “social media,” lowering the age threshold for minor protections to 16, prohibiting social media algorithms from targeting minors, and imposing penalties for noncompliance. These regulations would apply only to new account holders.
The Social Media Safety Act, originally signed into law in 2023, required parental consent for minors to create social media accounts but is currently blocked by the courts. The new amendments aim to address legal concerns and allow the law to take effect.
Additionally, Governor Sanders highlighted the recent passage of the **Bell to Bell, No Cell Act**, which bans personal electronic devices, including cell phones and smartwatches, in Arkansas schools during the school day. Signed into law on February 20, 2025, it is the most extensive phone-free schools policy in the country.
Sanders previously launched a phone-free schools pilot program, inspired by the book *The Anxious Generation* by Jonathan Haidt. She and Haidt toured schools across Arkansas in December to promote the initiative and later spoke at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, advocating for phone-free schools.
The new social media legislation is expected to undergo legislative review in the coming weeks as state officials continue efforts to protect minors from online harm.