Protecting Children from AI Exploitation and Social Media Harm

Children bear the image of God and are owed fierce protection by both families and civil authorities. Scripture is unambiguous: those who harm the vulnerable face grave consequence, and those in positions of authority bear responsibility to act (Matthew 18:6). HB47 is a direct exercise of that responsibility, using the instruments of civil law to protect Alaska's children from some of the most serious harms the digital age has produced.

The bill closes a dangerous loophole that predators have exploited as artificial intelligence tools have become widely accessible. Existing law was written before AI could generate photorealistic images of child sexual abuse that involve no actual child victim in their production. That gap has been used as a legal shield. HB47 eliminates it by explicitly criminalizing AI-generated child sexual abuse material, making clear that the harm to children and to society does not depend on whether the image was produced by a camera or an algorithm.

The social media provisions restore something essential: meaningful parental authority over a child's digital environment. Platforms have long operated as if children were simply small adults, with no special obligations owed to them or to the parents responsible for their formation. These provisions correct that assumption by establishing enforceable standards that place parents back in the decision-making role that belongs to them.

Holding platforms civilly liable for facilitating the generation of child sexual abuse material is both just and effective. Corporations respond to financial accountability. When a platform's infrastructure is used to harm children, the platform cannot claim the harm is entirely external to its operations. Civil liability creates the incentive structures necessary to prompt genuine action rather than performative policy.

Finally, the provisions affecting educator certification and school bus driver licensing reflect a principle every parent understands: those entrusted with children must be held to the highest standard. Adults who produce or distribute material that exploits children have forfeited the trust required to work alongside them. The American Council urges full support for HB47.