The Senate passed a resolution to create an OAG-led task force to protect children, while the House passed a bill to aid public education efforts
HARRISBURG — Attorney General Dave Sunday offered reaction to actions Wednesday from the Pennsylvania Senate and House of Representatives regarding legislation that will aid the Office of Attorney General’s efforts to educate and protect the public from harmful artificial intelligence.
The House’s passage of House Bill 2314 would provide funding for a public education campaign focused on improving A.I. consumer literacy, including how Pennsylvanians can avoid scams and parents can better protect their children online.
The bill passed 198-3 and now heads to the Senate.
“I am proud of the progress our office has made in protecting Pennsylvanians and holding accountable big tech companies who neglect consumer safety — but we recognize much work remains, and welcome the resources this bill would bring,” Attorney General Sunday said. “The most effective way to prevent scams and ID theft is to be aware of today’s technology and how it can cause harm, and this legislation would help accomplish that.
“I thank Representatives Ciresi and Ortitay for recognizing the very real dangers that exist online, and for entrusting my office to continue this vital public awareness and education work.”
The Senate passed SR244 to create a Child Protection in the Digital Age Task Force. The resolution is enacted.
“Ensuring our laws protecting children keep pace with the rapid changes in technology is a mission critical to the Office of Attorney General,” Attorney General Sunday said. “I thank Senator Pennycuick for her leadership on this critical issue, and for trusting the Office of Attorney General to lead this vital task force. Protecting children from predators and potentially harmful technology is a duty we all share, and a mission this task force will assist.”
Attorney General Sunday has been a national leader in initiatives to educate and protect residents from rapidly-evolving technology, and remains engaged with big tech companies regarding products that put users at risk.
Attorney General Sunday led a coalition of attorneys general in sending a demand letter to A.I. production and distribution companies regarding harms caused by “chatbots,” particularly how they interact with young people.
Additionally, the Office of Attorney General’s Office of Public Engagement is constantly in the community educating Pennsylvanians about trends involving modern technology. Recently, that office led the teenTALK program, a series of roundtable discussions between AG Sunday and students about social media, which culminated last month with a comprehensive report.
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