Author: Zach Pishock

ATLANTA (November 7, 2025) — On Wednesday, November 12, the Senate Impact of Social Media and Artificial Intelligence on Children and Platform Privacy Protection Study Committee, co-chaired by Sen. Sally Harrell (D–Atlanta) and Sen. Shawn Still (R–Suwanee), will hold its fourth hearing. During the meeting, senators will evaluate the impact of phone-free schools and school AI policy.

EVENT DETAILS:   

• Date: November 12, 2025
• Time: 10:00 a.m.
• Where: 450 State Capitol, 206 Washington St SW, Atlanta, GA, 30334
• Open to the Public: The event is open to the public. The committee meeting will be live-streamed on the Senate website here.

ABOUT THE MEETING:         

The bipartisan Senate Impact of Social Media and Artificial Intelligence on Children and Platform Privacy Protection Study Committee, created through Senate Resolution 431, will evaluate online platforms’ (i.e., social media, gaming, AI, etc.) impact on children. The study committee will also make formal recommendations for state action at its final meeting. The study committee will partner with parents, policy experts, representatives from state agencies and private organizations to determine how online protections may be improved and strengthened to ensure safer online experiences.

The study committee’s first three meetings examined how online platforms can be addictive and harmful to young people, as well as specific state policies that can result in safer online experiences. Senators also further examined the potential dangers related to the use of AI-driven chatbots in online platforms by minors.

Georgia’s “Distraction-Free Education Act” (HB 340), which passed during the 2025 legislative session, bans smartphones for public school students grades kindergarten through eight. Out of respect for these students, attendees and members of the Senate Impact of Social Media and Artificial Intelligence on Children and Platform Privacy Protection Study Committee are being asked to voluntarily go without their phones for the duration of the meeting.

You can watch the replay of the study committee’s meetings on the Georgia State Senate YouTube page here.

MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES:

We kindly request that members of the media confirm their attendance in advance by contacting SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.

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Sen. Sally Harrell represents the 40^th Senate District, which includes portions of DeKalb and Gwinnett County. She may be reached by phone at (404) 463-2260 or by email at Sally.Harrell@senate.ga.gov.

Sen. Shawn Still serves as Majority Caucus Chair. He represents the 48^th Senate District, which includes portions of Forsyth, Fulton and Gwinnett counties. He may be reached by phone at (404) 656-7127 or by email at Shawn.Still@senate.ga.gov.

For all media inquiries, please reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.