New London ― U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn, led a round-table discussion on Thursday at the Early Childhood Center at B.P. Mission with local public safety and social service leaders on a proposed bill aimed at giving parents stronger screen oversight tools.

Blumenthal told the group the Kids Online Safety Act of 2022 would require social media platforms to allow for the disabling of “addictive product features,” such as autoplay; provide academic researchers and non-profits with access to certain data sets to better investigate minor self-harm and safety issues; and make the most protective level of privacy and safety a platform’s default setting.

The bill was introduced in February 2022 in the wake of a congressional investigation, and several legislative subcommittee hearings, into the intersection of tech companies, their products and young users’ mental health.

The legislation would also provide parents and minors with a dedicated channel to report issues involving harm to children and allow parents to easily check how much time a child spends online.

More than a dozen people attended Thursday’s discussion, including New London police Chief Brian Wright, Human Services Director Jeanne Milstein, New London State’s Attorney Paul Narducci and City Council President Reona Dyess.