Latest News from State Capitol and 55th District  

September 17, 2026

Protecting Kids on Social Media Must Be More Than a Promise

Technology, especially web-based technology, has brought undeniable benefits to our daily lives.

Social media, for example, gives families and friends new ways to stay connected, regardless of distance. As your state representative, I use platforms such as Facebook and Instagram to keep constituents informed about issues affecting our communities and the work taking place in Harrisburg.

At the same time, we cannot ignore the risks social media can present for children and teenagers. While these platforms offer valuable opportunities to communicate and access information, young people deserve meaningful, age-appropriate safeguards as they navigate an increasingly digital world.

This is why I read with great interest that Attorney General Dave Sunday joined a bipartisan coalition of state attorneys general in filing a civil lawsuit against Meta Platforms, Inc., Facebook and Instagram’s parent company.

The lawsuit alleged that that the technology includes addictive features—infinite scrolling, autoplay, social comparison mechanics, all designed to keep children and teens engaged. Professionals have argued for several years that such features fuel anxiety, depression, self-harm, and even suicidal thoughts.

Further allegations are that users were misled about known harm to youth and overemphasized the safety of children on their platforms, as well as violating the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by allegedly collecting data from users under age 13 without proper parental consent.

Last month, the case was settled in a manner to help protect children in the digital world. With up to $17.1 billion in national remediation payments and as much as $729 million potentially coming to Pennsylvania, Attorney General Sunday called it the largest settlement ever reached with a major tech company.

But while the headlines are striking, the more important story lies in how this agreement could change the online environment children navigate every day.

The settlement forces Meta to confront reality and make significant reforms. This includes hard caps on daily time limits, nighttime access blocks between midnight and 6 a.m., and stronger, more intuitive parental controls. These changes alone could help millions of kids break away from unhealthy usage patterns.

Perhaps even more noteworthy are the limits on social comparison tools. Visible like counts and beauty filters have fueled cycles of insecurity and anxiety for young users, and dialing back those features is a long-overdue step toward healthier online interactions.

The agreement sends a powerful message: safeguarding kids online is not optional. Tech giants have long profited from practices that keep young users glued to screens, often at the expense of their mental health. Now, for the first time on this scale, a coalition of states is setting firm expectations and backing them with real consequences.

Certainly, the settlement will not solve every challenge facing families, nor will it eliminate the complexities of growing up in a digital world. But it establishes that children’s well-being must take precedence over engagement metrics. And it gives states like Pennsylvania both the resources and the leverage to continue pushing for safer, healthier online spaces.

As the technological world develops, this is not the end of the conversation, but rather an important beginning.
Recognizing this, I have been working on related legislation.

How much screentime are children getting while in Pennsylvania schools? This is certainly an important question. Therefore, I worked with fellow legislators on House Resolution 543. It directs the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to conduct an audit on public schools’ policies regarding the amount of screen time students are exposed to during the school day. This study can then be used by the General Assembly’s to determine if changes need to be made.

House Bill1513 establishes a much-needed safeguard to protect children from online sexual content. It proposes to require any entity that publishes pornographic or sexual content online to utilize a commercially reasonable method of age verification.  Significantly, this legislation does not prohibit content that, when taken as a whole, features or contains serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for minors.

Here are some additional news topics and reminders I would like to share.

Firearms Safety and Rights Seminar on Oct. 8 - Interested in learning more about the laws and regulations related to firearms? Mark your calendar and come to my Firearms Safety and Rights Seminar! It will take place Thursday, Oct. 8, 6-8 p.m., at the Delmont Volunteer Fire Department, 2360 PA Route 66, Delmont. Firearms Owners Against Crime’s Jim Stoker will lead the discussion and be ready to answer questions. Registration is suggested but not required. Walk-ins are welcome. To register, call the Washington Township/Export office at 724-387-9113 or email aadams@pahousegop.com.



Representative Jill Cooper
55th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Jordan Frei
724.875.8450
jfrei@pahousegop.com