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Explainer: New Ohio law requires parental consent for minor social media use
• Background: A new law goes into effect Jan. 15 requiring social medica companies to get parental permission before creating an account for a minor under 16 years old. Statehouse reporter Avery Kreemer has the deets, as the kids would say.
• But…how?: The law will likely lead social media sites and gaming platforms, along with many other online platforms, to require new users to upload photos or scans of government-issued IDs in order to verify the user’s age.
• Broad reach: While the law was meant to apply to social media companies like X, Facebook and TikTok, experts say the language could be applied to simply opening an email account. Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, who championed the bill, says it’s easier to list who it doesn’t apply to than who it does.
• Socmeds fight back: A lawsuit filed last week by an industry association by the name of NetChoice alleges that the law is overly broad and unconstitutional and asks the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio to stop the law from going into effect on Jan. 15.
• Kids and mental health: Youth mental health experts say social media can be addictive for children and impact other parts of their lives. They also note that social media is ubiquitous so an important part of protecting children is helping them learn healthy online habits.
Wrongly imprisoned for 20 years, Dean Gillispie now working to save others
• A tragic story: Dean Gillispie of Fairborn spent more than 20 years in prison following his 1991 wrongful conviction for the rapes and kidnappings of three women in two attacks in Miami Twp. and Harrison Twp. Our own Tom Archdeacon tells Gillispie’s story as only Arch can.
• A historic payout: A federal court awarded Gillispie $45 million from Miami Twp. for the improper methods used by a township detective to secure the conviction. Gillispie said the money falls far short of giving him back decades of his life lost.
• Helping others: Since being released with the help of the Ohio Innocence Project, Gillispie has dedicated his life to helping others who were wrongfully convicted.
• A talented artist: Gillispie created art while in prison, most notably tiny dioramas built from prison garbage of idyllic scenes like a gas station or Airstream trailer. Gillispie’s artwork has traveled the country and been features at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
• Upcoming event: Gillispie will be featured in a two-day event this month in Dayton to raise awareness of wrongful convictions. The event includes a screening of 40 minutes of a documentary about his case, a panel discussion, and presentations from Amanda Knox (the American student wrongly imprisoned in Italy for four years after her roommate was murdered) and a Pulitzer-prize winning author with a popular podcast on wrongful imprisonment.
Dayton region lobbyist on Wright-Patt and other priorities
Credit: JIM NOELKER
Credit: JIM NOELKER
• Background: Reporter Lynn Hulsey recently sat down with Michael Gessel, the Dayton region’s top lobbyist in Washington D.C. to discuss how the region’s main priorities are being supported at the federal level, and whether discord on Capitol Hill will impact local efforts.
• The big deal: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and organizations that support it are one of the major drivers of the Dayton region’s economy. Gessel said everyone from President Biden down are aware of the importance of Wright-Patt, but we must stay vigilant to keep it and its missions here.
• Local delegation: Gessel said Ohio’s senators and the Dayton region’s Congressional delegation are all on the same page and active in supporting projects and initiatives that will help our region.
• Not all about that base: While the base is the No. 1 priority, it’s not the only thing they are keeping an eye on. Our region benefits from federal support of numerous things such as the Air National Guard Base in Springfield, Dayton VA Medical Center, national historical parks, and local airports and infrastructure projects.
• The unknowns: Partisan rancor, budget stalemates, and concerns about dysfunction in D.C. could impact our region in myriad ways. Go here to read Lynn’s full interview with Gessel.