March 29, 2023
The Honorable Nancy Skinner
State Senate
1021 O St., Suite
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: Support for Senate Bill 287 (Skinner)
Dear Senator Skinner,
The California Youth Empowerment Network (CAYEN) is pleased to support your bill, SB 287, which is designed to hold social media platforms accountable for promoting the illegal sale of fentanyl to California youth and for the sale of unlawful firearms, including ghost guns, via social media platforms. The protections in SB 287 would also hold these platforms accountable for targeting other harmful content toward youth that could result in suicide, eating disorders, dangerous dieting practices, or inflicting harm on themselves or others.
The California Youth Empowerment Network (CAYEN) is a youth-led statewide network comprised of TAY Action Teams and CAYEN Board members which engages, empowers and represents Transitional Age Youth (TAY), ages 15-26, in mental health advocacy on issues that directly affect TAY. Since CAYEN’s inception in 2006, CAYEN has taken many forms of action to empower TAY in their personal lives and spark progressive change in public policy.
We oppose the dangerous algorithms of social media platforms that direct users, including children and youth, to harmful content. Youth’s accessibility to weapons, substances, and other dangerous content via social media platforms has proven to be life threatening. Senate Bill 287 takes a bold step to hold social media platforms accountable for their part in intermediating illegal activity and life-threatening youth trends.
For these reasons, we support Senate Bill 287. If you or your staff have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at dthirakul@mhac.org, or our Interim Director of Public Policy, Karen Vicari at kvicari@mhacofca.org.
In Community,
Danny Thirakul
Public Policy Coordinator California
Youth Empowerment Network
