Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell recently testified before the Joint Committee on Education in support of the STUDY Act, a bill aimed at reducing cell phone use in schools and increasing protections for minors on social media. According to an update from the Attorney General’s office, Campbell’s video testimony was joined by support from teachers, psychiatrists, students, and others.
The STUDY Act, introduced in January by Sen. Julian Cyr and Reps. Alice Hanlon Peisch and Kate Lipper-Garabedian, would require public schools to implement phone-free policies during the school day. Campbell explained the bill's intent to limit distractions in classrooms and promote student mental health.
The legislation also targets social media companies, calling for safeguards such as default privacy settings for minors, usage limits, removal of features like autoplay and infinite scroll, stronger age verification, and reporting requirements related to youth social media use.
The bill is based in part on findings from AG Campbell’s Youth Council and follows legal action her office has taken against platforms like Meta and TikTok. Research cited in testimony points to negative effects on youth mental health when daily social media use exceeds one hour.
Support for the STUDY Act includes education and mental health organizations, labor unions, and state officials. Education Secretary Patrick Tutwiler emphasized the need for a consistent approach to phone use in classrooms. Rep. Lipper-Garabedian and Sen. Cyr also backed the legislation, noting its focus on both academic environments and online safety for minors.
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