For too long, Big Tech companies have dictated the rules of engagement for our children’s digital lives — tying the hands of parents who simply want to keep their kids safe from unsolicited communications and inappropriate content. Enough is enough.
That’s why I am thrilled to see the Alabama Legislature moving legislation that would help protect our children on their smartphones and tablets as well as restoring parents as the decisionmakers over what their children can and cannot access online.
The App Store Accountability Act, introduced as Senate Bill 187 by Senator Clyde Chambliss (R-Prattville) and House Bill 317 by Representative Chris Sells (R-Greenville), is a common-sense bill that puts the power back where it belongs: with parents. The App Store Accountability Act would ensure that Alabama children would have to have their parent’s approval in the app store before they could download apps on their devices.
Importantly, this legislation is not government overreach. It’s instead about parental rights — the foundation of strong, traditional family values.
While Senate Bill 187 has already passed out of committee in the Senate, House Bill 317 still awaits a committee vote and full House vote. However, given Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter’s tireless commitment to protecting children and the people of Rainsville, I urge him to make this bill a priority to ensure not only the families of Rainsville, but also all Alabama families have the tools they need to safeguard their children online.
Today’s teenagers spend nearly five hours a day online, where children could experience inappropriate, exploitative and even dangerous content.
Parents know the stakes. That’s why 81 percent of American adults support requiring parental consent for minors to create social media accounts. However, the current system makes it nearly impossible for parents to exercise that right. Kids can create accounts, download apps, and disappear into the digital void before their parents even realize what’s happening.
That’s where the App Store Accountability Act comes in. Instead of forcing parents to monitor every app, it creates a one-stop-shop for parental approval before it’s even downloaded. No loopholes, no workarounds — just a straightforward way to help parents enforce the rules in their own homes.
The app stores already have the technology to make this happen, and Speaker Ledbetter’s commitment to protecting the school-aged children of Alabama can be fulfilled by requiring these Big Tech companies to use their existing tools to put parents back in the driver’s seat and protect children from online harms.
This isn’t about politics. It’s about protecting children and strengthening families. Every parent knows that raising kids in today’s world is harder than ever. We set curfews, we check homework, we monitor who they spend time with. Why should their digital lives be any different?
The App Store Accountability Act is a crucial step toward restoring common sense, personal responsibility, and parental rights. It protects our children from all apps, while minimizing privacy concerns and centralizing this important security process.
I commend House Speaker Ledbetter for always standing with parents, and I urge him and the Alabama House of Representatives to act swiftly in passing the App Store Accountability Act, because our children’s safety and the future of our families depend on it. I look forward to personally thanking him for championing children’s safety and parental rights.
Laura Johnston Clark is a wife, mother, and businesswoman. She grew up in the Wiregrass and now lives in Birmingham with her husband, retired Air Force Col. David Etheredge. She is a member of the Alabama Republican Party.
