Legislature(2023 - 2024)GRUENBERG 120
04/10/2023 01:00 PM House JUDICIARY
Note: the audio ![]()
and video ![]()
recordings are distinct records and are obtained from different sources. As such there may be key differences between the two. The audio recordings are captured by our records offices as the official record of the meeting and will have more accurate timestamps. Use the icons to switch between them.
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Presentation(s): Parenting in the Digital Age | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE JUDICIARY STANDING COMMITTEE
April 10, 2023
1:00 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Sarah Vance, Chair
Representative Jamie Allard, Vice Chair
Representative Craig Johnson
Representative David Eastman
Representative Andrew Gray
Representative Cliff Groh
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Ben Carpenter
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
PRESENTATION(S): PARENTING IN THE DIGITAL AGE
- HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
LIEUTENANT RYAN BROWNING, Lieutenant
Homer Police Department
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Gave a PowerPoint presentation on parenting
in the digital age.
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:00:12 PM
VICE CHAIR JAMIE ALLARD called the House Judiciary Standing
Committee meeting to order at 1:00 p.m. Representative Allard
was present at the call to order. Representatives C. Johnson,
Gray, Groh, Eastman, and Vance arrived as the meeting was in
progress.
The committee took an at-ease from 1:00 p.m. to 1:04 p.m.
^PRESENTATION(S): Parenting in the Digital Age
PRESENTATION(S): Parenting in the Digital Age
1:04:41 PM
VICE CHAIR ALLARD announced that the only order of business
would be a presentation by Lieutenant Ryan Browning, Homer
Police Department.
1:06:22 PM
LIEUTENANT RYAN BROWNING, Lieutenant, Homer Police Department,
gave a PowerPoint presentation on parenting in the digital age.
1:07:44 PM
The committee took a brief at-ease at 1:07 p.m.
1:08:20 PM
LIEUTENANT BROWNING gave an overview of his personal background
and his experience in law enforcement. Beginning the
presentation on slide 1, he shared several personal anecdotes to
highlight the negative impact of the Internet and social media
use on young people. He emphasized the importance of parents
talking to their kids openly, honestly, and often, as poor
digital decision making is the "cause" of digital mistakes.
According to the Surgeon General, 13 is too early to join social
media. He stressed the importance of teaching children
proficiency and safety before using a digital device; more
importantly, that Internet activity is public and permanent.
Parents should teach their kids to guard their privacy, protect
their reputation, assume everyone is watching, and remember that
nothing is private. Talking about the risks at every age
porn/inappropriate content, online privacy, sexting, sexual
solicitation, cyberbullying, and sextortion will help them
build proficiency and skills over time. He discussed Roblox and
other gaming platforms that have been recently publicized for
dangerous and inappropriate encounters. Kids who come from a
broken home are more susceptible to this abuse because they are
looking for someone with shared experiences to connect with, and
predators will take advantage of that.
1:40:23 PM
The committee took a brief at-ease at 1:40 p.m.
1:41:43 PM
LIEUTENANT BROWNING suggested that parents utilize Instagram's
family notification center to receive follower updates; set
usage limits; and view a child's privacy, messaging, and updates
if anything changes. In addition, parents should be creating
their own account to follow their kids, participate in third
party monitoring, and utilize settings that control comments,
the ability to share stories, and request approval for photos.
Alternatively, Snapchat is more insidious because there's no age
verification, allows messages to disappear, and encourages
frequent use with "snap streaks" and "snap scores." Sexting is
a common occurrence among young people that starts at age 8 with
roughly 14 to 20 percent of kids sending sex messages and 25
percent receiving them. In Alaska, 36 to 37 percent of high
school age kids are sexually active according to a 2019 survey.
Alaska's "unlawful exploitation of a minor" law is outlined in
AS 11.41.455, which can result in serious consequences for
behavior such as sending or forwarding a nude photo. He
emphasized the prevalence of cyberbullying, with an estimated 60
percent of children having experienced it. Alaska does not have
a cyberbullying statute; however, most school districts have a
policy that addresses bullying. In situations where
cyberbullying originates from a private, non-school computer or
electronic device, and is brought to the attention of school
officials, disciplinary measures may be imposed under certain
conditions. If the behavior is elevated to taunts that are
likely to provoke violence or anonymous obscene communication,
harassment in the second degree may apply.
2:12:58 PM
LIEUTENANT BROWNING pointed out that social media rewards
sexualization and superficial beauty, which is affecting young
girls in particular. A 2021 Wall Street Journal article
revealed that Facebooks knows that Instagram is toxic for teen
girls. Facebook acknowledged that Instagram is hurting teens'
mental health by creating pressure to conform to social
stereotypes; match the money and body shapes of influencers;
crave validation with views, likes, followers, and shares; spur
friendship conflicts, bullying, hate speech, and over
sexualization. Alaska agencies have seen a rise in teen-on-teen
violence and the Alaska Youth Risk Survey highlighted a
significant increase in students feeling sad or hopeless, and
considering, planning for, or attempting suicide in the past 12
months. He urged parents, siblings, and extended family to
check in with their young girls in particular. He shared a
video of Amanda Todd's suicide story and stressed the prevalence
of suicidal ideation in Alaska communities. He reiterated the
importance of parents having these tough, honest conversations
with their kids and listening to them. Parents should consider
saving digital evidence; setting up new accounts; and talking to
schools, counselors, and trusted adults. Parents should look
out for increased online time, gifts, inability to sleep,
meltdowns, a sudden stop in device use, nerves when opening a
text or email, unease about school, being withdrawn, calls from
unknown numbers, deleted history, and minimizing screens.
Professionals encourage parents to set ground rules for device
use; no devices in bed; education around social media platforms;
and frequent engagement. He shared resources for teens in
crisis.
2:38:48 PM
VICE CHAIR ALLARD invited questions from members of the
committee.
[Vice Chair Allard returned the gavel to Chair Vance.]
CHAIR VANCE asked for Lieutenant Browning's recommendations to
lawmakers.
LIEUTENANT BROWNING said the biggest factor is education. He
added he would not know how to legislate the issue; nonetheless,
the goal of the presentation is to open people's eyes to what's
happening in real life. In response to a series of questions,
he said he was unsure whether limiting kids' screen time to one
hour a day would be realistic, but "something is better than
nothing." He said he does not know why the rates of teen-on-
teen sexual violence is rising among kids aged 16-18, but
surmised that the COVID-19 Pandemic, pornography, and
desensitization could be factors.
2:52:10 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Judiciary Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 2:52 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| Parenting in the Digital Age Slideshow Presentation (04-10-23).pdf |
HJUD 4/10/2023 1:00:00 PM |