Austin News

U.S. Senator John Fetterman (D-Pa.) has announced his support for the Eyes on the Board Act, a legislation aimed at limiting children's access to social media at school. The bill, introduced by U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Ted Cruz (R-Texas) in October 2023, would require schools receiving federal broadband funding through the E-Rate program to block access to social media on subsidized services, devices, and networks.

Senator Cruz expressed his satisfaction with the bipartisan effort, stating, "I’m proud to join Sen. Fetterman in leading this bipartisan effort to protect kids in the classroom and give parents information with the transparency needed to know that their children are safe." He emphasized the negative impact of addictive and distracting social media apps on children's well-being, stating, "Addictive and distracting social media apps are wreaking havoc on our kids—the very least we can do is restrict access to social media at school so taxpayer subsidies aren’t complicit in harming students."

Senator Fetterman also highlighted the importance of ensuring a focused learning environment for children. "Social media is a powerful tool, but spending too much time on it can significantly hurt anybody’s well-being," he said. "It even contributed to my own mental health struggles. Cyberbullying and online harassment are real. We need to make sure that at school, our children are focused on learning, and E-rate will do just that."

The Eyes on the Board Act aims to address the current gap in legislation that only requires schools receiving E-Rate subsidies to block or filter access to obscenity, child pornography, and other harmful sexual content. The bill seeks to extend these restrictions to include distracting and addictive social media apps or websites, which can contribute to the youth mental health crisis.

The legislation proposes three key measures. Firstly, it would prohibit schools or school districts from receiving E-Rate or Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) subsidies unless they block access to social media on subsidized services, devices, and networks. Secondly, it would require schools receiving E-Rate subsidies to adopt a screen time policy, promoting parental limits and transparency on screen time in schools. This requirement would be similar to the existing obligation under the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) for schools to maintain an internet safety policy. Finally, the bill would mandate the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to create a database of schools' internet safety policies, providing parents and the public with much-needed transparency.

The Eyes on the Board Act has gained bipartisan support and is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.). It has also garnered support from various stakeholders.

The E-Rate program, established to subsidize broadband connectivity in schools and libraries across the country, is one of four programs under the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Universal Service Fund (USF). The program aims to expand its reach by installing Wi-Fi hotspots off-campus, including on school buses and in students' and library patrons' homes.

With the support of Senator Fetterman and other key lawmakers, the Eyes on the Board Act is one step closer to becoming law and ensuring children have a safe and focused learning environment at school.