Lawmakers propose Maryland Online Child Protection Act to shield minors from obscene content

BALTIMORE -- More than 68% of youth reported exposure to online pornography, according to the National Institute of Health.

Experts say exposure to this kind of material at an early age can cause psychological and even physical harm. However, Maryland lawmakers have proposed a solution to protect children from this harmful content.

The Maryland Online Child Protection Act would mandate safety settings on phones, tablets, and game devices marketed to minors, that would automatically block obscene content.

"A lot of people think that it just stops there, but it doesn't," said De' Asia Wiggins, a survivor of online trafficking.

For De'Asia Wiggins - who lost her mother when she was just 11 - being exposed to pornography while she was in foster care, led to unwanted real-life encounters.

"I was trafficked online and in the real-world due to my access to the pornography," Wiggins said.

Eleanor Kennelly with the National Center on Sexual Exploitation says kids are vulnerable to the lack of regulation in the tech industry.

"D'Asia has a unique story but there are thousands of kids just like her," Kennelly said.

That's why Delegate Shaneka Henson and Senator Anthony Muse say they're sponsoring the Maryland Online Child Protection Act.

The proposed bill would require manufacturers of internet connected devices to activate by default or install content filters that block minors from viewing obscene content.

"We're talking about sexual acts, nudity, sadomasochism and all of those things that lack any artistic, educational, political or scientific value," Henson said.

"Adults over 18 can disable these filters but age verification is mandatory first. This balances child safety with adult access," Muse said.

"Default to safety, default to on and don't put the burden on parents or kids like De'Asia who didn't have guardians who were constantly supervising their device use," Kennelly said.

"The predators don't care about our children so I think it's time for our government and our people who make the decisions to care about our children," Wiggins said.

These content filters already exist on most devices but they can be difficult to access.  If the bill is enacted - these filters would be automatically turned on for any user under 18 in Maryland.