Democrats plan to revive a proposal to give parents greater control over how children use social media.  

“If they don’t like what we’re going to protect the kids, what is your plan to protect the kids?” Gov. Ned Lamont (D-Connecticut) said. “Otherwise, we’ll keep going with this.”  

Leaders of the legislature’s General Law Committee joined Lamont for a press conference at the Capitol, saying they’ll introduce the bill once the legislative session starts on Feb. 4.  

The bill would require parental approval before anyone under 18 years old can open a social media account.  

Additionally, parents would need to approve the content children can view, set time limits for usage, and decide whether their accounts are public. 

Attorney General William Tong (D-Connecticut) said the law would require parents to opt in to ensure they give consent.  

That means social media platforms can’t, for example, make a minor’s account public as a default setting.  

Lastly, the bill would prohibit social media companies from sending push notifications to children between 9 p.m. and 8 a.m. 

“What this specifically does is highlight a very vulnerable population and says there needs to be protections in place,” Rep. Roland Lemar (D-New Haven) said. “Children need to have these protections. 

Lemar said social media can be a valuable resource, but he wants to safeguard children against potential harm.  

Some experts have been raising concerns that social media platforms can become addictive, especially since they allow users to scroll content endlessly.  

Those experts have also warned about increased risks of depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues among children and teenagers.  

“They’re still children, and they’re still vulnerable in how they’re developing those individual identities,” Connecticut Children’s pediatrician Dr. Robert Keder said. “They are subject to things like FOMO, or fear of missing out, or influencing body image.”  

Tech companies pushed back against the bill last year, saying they’re already putting tools in place for parents.  

Instagram, for example, announced a teen-friendly version of its app in October, with more age-appropriate content.  

Christopher Gilrein, executive director with the lobbying firm Technet, said last year that “the industry has a longstanding commitment to provide parents and guardians with resources to help ensure a safe online experience for their children, and the industry has been at the forefront of educating parents and guardians about safety.”  

Last year’s version received a 121-26 vote in the House, but the Senate failed to raise it for debate before the session ended.  

A few Republicans raised concerns about whether the state could enforce the bill.  

One of those Republicans, Rep. Lezlye Zupkus (R-Prostect), said she’ll need to review this year’s bill, but she supports the concept.  

“We need to look at what our kids are looking at and what is age-appropriate for them and what they should be doing,” she said