Social media regulation advances

The ideas and innovators shaping health care

May 24, 2024 View in browser   By Shawn Zeller, Ruth Reader, Daniel Payne and Erin Schumaker POLICY PUZZLE Bilirakis' bill to regulate social media is moving in the House. | AP Legislation to regulate social media to protect kids’ mental health advanced in a House subcommittee on Thursday, adding new momentum to a measure backed by a Senate supermajority. The panel approved the Kids Online Safety Act by Reps. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.), Kathy Castor (D-Fla.), Erin Houchin (R-Ind.) and Kim Schrier (D-Wash.) by voice vote, setting up consideration by the full Energy and Commerce Committee. The bill would: — require social media companies and online video games to prevent kids from seeing material promoting suicide, eating disorders, substance abuse and sexual exploitation, as well as advertising for drugs, tobacco, gambling and alcohol — mandate the websites offer parents tools to manage children’s use of the platforms — task the Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology with studying ways to verify the age of website users — create a Kids Online Safety Council made up of parents, representatives from social media companies and federal agencies, state attorneys general, young people and people from underserved communities to monitor implementation of the law Across the Capitol: Sixty-nine senators have co-sponsored companion legislation by Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) that the Commerce Committee approved last year. Even so: Besides the tech firms that oppose the bill, a group founded by former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) is warning it would “institutionalize federal censorship standards related to medical information” and could prompt bans on socially conservative or religious material. At the same time, advocates for LGBTQ+ kids and the American Civil Liberties Union are also against it, on the grounds the bill could restrict access to supportive communities online. That’s given some lawmakers, including Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), pause. He said “the bill must not unnecessarily encourage services to censor discussion of sensitive topics.”   THE GOLD STANDARD OF HEALTHCARE POLICY REPORTING & INTELLIGENCE: POLITICO has more than 500 journalists delivering unrivaled reporting and illuminating the policy and regulatory landscape for those who need to know what’s next. Throughout the election and the legislative and regulatory pushes that will follow, POLITICO Pro is indispensable to those who need to make informed decisions fast. The Pro platform dives deeper into critical and quickly evolving sectors and industries, like healthcare, equipping policymakers and those who shape legislation and regulation with essential news and intelligence from the world’s best politics and policy journalists. Our newsroom is deeper, more experienced and better sourced than any other. Our healthcare reporting team—including Alice Miranda Ollstein, Megan Messerly and Robert King—is embedded with the market-moving legislative committees and agencies in Washington and across states, delivering unparalleled coverage of health policy and the healthcare industry. We bring subscribers inside the conversations that determine policy outcomes and the future of industries, providing insight that cannot be found anywhere else. Get the premier news and policy intelligence service, SUBSCRIBE TO POLITICO PRO TODAY.     WELCOME TO FUTURE PULSE Boston, Mass. | Shawn Zeller/POLITICO This is where we explore the ideas and innovators shaping health care. Denmark is considering an "opt-out" system to boost organ donations. All citizens will be registered automatically when they turn 18. The plan aims to reduce a backlog of 400 people awaiting organs in a country with a population under six million, our European colleagues report. Share any thoughts, news, tips and feedback with Carmen Paun at cpaun@politico.com, Daniel Payne at dpayne@politico.com, Ruth Reader at rreader@politico.com or Erin Schumaker at eschumaker@politico.com. Send tips securely through SecureDrop, Signal, Telegram or WhatsApp.  AROUND THE NATION Social media bills are hot in Sacramento. | AFP via Getty Images Meanwhile, in California, bipartisan majorities in both the state Assembly and Senate have passed separate bills to protect kids’ health online. A bipartisan Assembly vote threatens social media firms with fines of up to $1 million per child if courts determine platforms have negligently failed to prevent harm to minors, our Jeremy B. White reports. Eleven Republicans joined Democrats in passing Assembly Bill 3172, easily overcoming fierce opposition from the technology industry. In the Senate, lawmakers passed SB 976 by a vote of 35-2. It would bar online platforms from sending an addictive social media feed to a minor without the consent of a parent or guardian. The bill would also prohibit social media sites from sending notifications to minors during overnight hours and during the school day without consent. What’s next? The bills must pass the other chamber by the end of August to get to Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom's desk.   DON’T MISS POLITICO’S ENERGY SUMMIT: The future of energy faces a crossroads in 2024 as policymakers and industry leaders shape new rules, investments and technologies. Join POLITICO’s Energy Summit on June 5 as we convene top voices to examine the shifting global policy environment in a year of major elections in the U.S. and around the world. POLITICO will examine how governments are writing and rewriting new rules for the energy future and America’s own role as a major exporter. REGISTER HERE.     TECH MAZE Derek De Young | Epic It could be a while before artificial intelligence transforms the prior authorization process, the tug-of-war between doctors and insurers over what treatments are covered. At least that’s how Derek De Young, who leads a platform to connect payers and providers at Epic, the electronic medical records firm, sees it. “I'm very, very bullish on AI," he told Daniel. “But the biggest challenge right now is still connectivity — to actually get the health systems connected to be able to submit these things electronically.” How so? De Young said there’s no national directory for hospital systems and health plans to communicate. Without a “phone book” of sorts, it could be very difficult for AI systems to manage prior authorization without a lot of manual labor. What’s next? De Young said that the health system is headed toward building that infrastructure, but it will take time. Epic has created a product to get insurers and medical providers on the same page and reduce that work, perhaps enabling AI solutions. “It's going to happen when payers and providers come together,” he said. “The good news is that's happening.”   Follow us on Twitter Carmen Paun @carmenpaun Daniel Payne @_daniel_payne Ruth Reader @RuthReader Erin Schumaker @erinlschumaker   Follow us

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