Alabama Legislature Advances HB161, Strengthening Parental Rights in the Digital Age

MONTGOMERY - Alabama lawmakers have advanced a major parental‑rights and child‑safety measure as HB161, sponsored by Rep. Chris Sells (R‑Greenville) and carried in the Senate by Sen. Clyde Chambliss (R‑Prattville), cleared a key hurdle in the legislative process. The bill aims to give parents stronger oversight of their children's digital activity by requiring robust age verification and verified parental consent before minors can download or purchase apps.

The legislation arrives amid growing national concern over how easily children access social media, gaming platforms, and other online environments without meaningful parental involvement. Supporters say HB161 places Alabama at the forefront of states working to modernize digital‑privacy and child‑protection laws.

A Push for Stronger Parental Authority

HB161 establishes new standards for app stores and digital platforms, requiring them to:

- Implement reliable age‑verification systems

- Obtain verifiable parental consent before minors download or purchase apps

- Provide parents with clearer information about the apps their children access

- Ensure that consent mechanisms cannot be bypassed by minors

Rep. Sells said the bill is designed to restore parents' ability to guide their children's online experiences at a time when technology often moves faster than household rules.

"Parents deserve to know what their kids are downloading, who they're interacting with, and what data is being collected," Sells has emphasized in public remarks. "HB161 gives families the tools they need to stay informed and involved."

Senate Support Led by Chambliss

Sen. Chambliss, who carried the bill in the upper chamber, framed the legislation as a commonsense step toward aligning Alabama law with the realities of modern digital life.

He noted that while parents remain the primary decision‑makers for their children, the current system often leaves them unaware of what apps their kids are accessing - or unable to intervene until after problems arise.

"This bill empowers parents, not platforms," Chambliss said. "Technology should support families, not undermine them."

Growing Bipartisan Momentum on Child Online Safety

HB161 reflects a broader trend across the country as states explore new frameworks to protect minors online. Lawmakers have increasingly focused on:

- Social media addiction

- Exposure to explicit or harmful content

- Data harvesting targeting minors

- Online interactions with strangers

- In‑app purchases made without parental knowledge

Alabama's proposal mirrors elements of legislation passed in states such as Utah, Arkansas, and Texas, though HB161 is tailored to Alabama's legal landscape and parental‑rights framework.

Supporters Say the Bill Fills a Critical Gap

Advocates argue that while parents can set household rules, they cannot realistically monitor every digital interaction without cooperation from the platforms themselves. HB161 shifts some responsibility to the companies profiting from children's online activity.

Supporters also highlight that the bill does not restrict access to apps outright - it simply ensures that parents are the ones making the decisions.

"This is about transparency and consent," one supporter noted. "Parents should not be the last to know what's on their child's phone."

Next Steps

With HB161 advancing, lawmakers will continue refining implementation details, including how age‑verification systems must operate and what constitutes legally sufficient parental consent. If enacted, the bill would require app stores and digital platforms to update their systems to comply with Alabama's new standards.

The measure is expected to remain a high‑profile topic as the legislative session continues, especially as families, educators, and child‑safety advocates weigh in on the growing need for digital‑age protections.