NEW BRITAIN, Conn. (WTIC Radio) - New Britain High School students, parents and staff discussed ways to combat the harmful trends of social media with U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal and Attorney General William Tong Thursday, such as litigation, legislative efforts, and education.
In an emergency summit, Blumenthal and Tong highlighted the various courses of action being taken to address the dangerous impacts of social media, including challenges on TikTok that promote school vandalism or teacher slapping and advertising on Facebook or Instagram that can hurt a student's self-esteem.
In Washington, efforts are underway to emphasize legislation that protects privacy online, promotes safety on social media platforms, enables parents to have safety tools and makes social media platforms accountable, Blumenthal said.
Blumenthal also plans to have TikTok officials come before a hearing with the Subcommittee of Consumer Protection.
"We in the Attorney General's office have also initiated our own investigations and legal actions," Tong said, including efforts to end the spread of misinformation online and a lawsuit against Google and Facebook on anti-trust grounds, among other actions.
While students asked questions concerning the processes involved in litigation and legislation, Desiree Costa, a parent of a New Britain High School student, eventually asked about what should be done while they wait for those pending litigation and legislative efforts.
"How long is it going to take for there to be a reaction? How long is it going to take for there to be consequences?" Costa said. "Time is of the essence here. We need solutions pretty quickly and I'm curious about what we do in the interim."
Change via litigation and legislation will take time, Tong responded frankly, explaining that Facebook and TikTok are massive, powerful entities.
New Britain School of Superintendents Nancy Sarra called on students and the community to be vocal about the need for change.
"Listen, we have 10,000 students in New Britain and attached to them are thousands of parents or grandparents or aunts that care. Let's bring them forward. Let's make a scene. We'll put that on TikTok," Sarra said.
She encouraged students to take the lead on that front, saying that action from the young people that use these platforms will get the attention of the social media giants and make a difference.
Brian Ortiz, a senior at the high school, offered another idea.
"Will the board of education get together to make a class for making better and smarter consumers [of online content] and how to, basically, navigate social media better, in a more positive way?" Ortiz said.
Sarra explained that a course like that is being considered, but it takes a lengthy process to add it to the curriculum.
However, other school officials recommended that students create an after school program that is geared towards educating students about navigating social media as another solution.
Related
