Senator Collins Joins Bipartisan Group in Introducing Legislation to Study Impact of Technology and Media on Children
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) joined Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), and Representatives Jamie Raskin (MD-08) and Ted Budd (NC-13) today in reintroducing the Children and Media Research Advancement (CAMRA) Act. This bipartisan bill would authorize the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to lead a research program on technology and media’s effects on infants, children, and adolescents in core areas of cognitive, physical, and socio-emotional development. This research would investigate the impact of exposure to and use of media such as mobile devices, computers, social media, applications, websites, television, motion pictures, artificial intelligence, video games, and virtual and augmented reality. The bill authorizes $15 million for fiscal years 2020-2022, and $25 million for each of fiscal years 2023 and 2024.
Research indicates that children’s use of technology has increased dramatically in recent years. A 2017 report finds that children eight years old and younger spend 48 minutes a day on mobile devices, up from 15 minutes in 2013. Similarly, 42 percent of kids eight years old and younger have their own tablets, a major increase from seven percent 2013 and a mere one percent in 2011.
“As technology and media continue to change, so does the manner in which young people interact with it on a daily basis. There is little research, however, on the effects these devices have on their short- and long-term health and development,” said Senator Collins. “Our bipartisan bill would provide NIH with the resources they need to conduct this important research to keep children and adolescents healthy.”
A copy of the legislation can be found HERE.
“Technology is a powerful tool that has forever changed the way we all interact. As media and tech become more and more a part of the fabric of family life, we need to better understand its impact on child development and how best to prioritize kids’ digital wellbeing,” said James P. Steyer, CEO and Founder of Common Sense Media. “I commend Senator Markey and Senator Blunt for efforts to establish a research program to study media and technology’s impact on kids. Together, we can identify solutions that work for all kids and families.”
“Facebook is committed to gaining a better understanding of the relationship between media technologies, youth development and well-being,” said Antigone Davis, Global Head of Safety, Facebook. “We applaud the bipartisan, bicameral group of legislators that introduced the CAMRA Act, which will ensure the NIH has the resources to conduct this critically important research.”
“Sesame Workshop is strongly supportive of the CAMRA Act’s efforts to expand federal investment on the impact of media and new technologies on children’s learning and healthy development,” said Michael Levine, Chief Knowledge Officer at Sesame Workshop. “Sesame Street has long demonstrated that media has enormous potential to educate and inspire, and we applaud this bipartisan approach to further support critically needed research to benefit children and families.”
“Internet companies invest in programs, partnerships, policies, controls, and resources to promote productive and positive experiences online and to make their platforms a place where people of all ages can safely interact,” Senior Vice President, Global Government Affairs Melika Carrol, Internet Association. “We appreciate Senators Markey and Blunt for reintroducing the CAMRA Act, which will fund rigorous, independent scientific research to help expand our understanding of how to promote healthy online habits.”
Other companies and organizations endorsing the legislation include: Charter Communications, Amazon, Google, Apple, Facebook, the Internet Association, American Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, Center for Digital Democracy, Common Sense Media, Consumers Union, Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development, Dr. Jenny Radesky (Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Developmental Behavior, University of Michigan Medical School), Dr. Michael Rich (Director, Center on Media and Child Health at Boston Children’s Hospital), Family Online Safety Institute, the Massachusetts Association for Mental Health, and the Center for Humane Technology, Education Development Center, Trisha Prahbu (CEO, ReThink), Dr. David Greenfield (Founder and CMO, The Center for Internet and Technology Addiction).
