Mother who loses son to suicide responds to amendments of Social Media Safety Act
FAYETTEVILLE (KNWA/FOX24) — The impact of the amendments of the 2023 Social Media Safety Act is already being felt despite not even being signed yet by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
Senate Bills 611 and 612 are partner bills that are meant to protect minors from the harm that can be caused by social media platforms. SB612 also lays the framework for parents or guardians to take legal action against social media companies if their child is a victim of self-harm due to content they consume.
For one Centerton mother, these amendments are welcomed. Jennie DeSerio's 16-year-old son, Mason, took his own life, and she believes the content he consumed on TikTok had a direct effect on his decision that night.
Roughly a year since his passing, Deserio is determined to be a rock for other parents who may be experiencing similar situations.
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'I really thought that my purpose as his mother died that night with him. And, when I found out what TikTok had been sending him, I realized that my purpose as a mom didn't die. It just transformed. So now my purpose as Mason's mom is to make sure no other parent suffers the loss that I have,' DeSerio said.
Senator Tyler Dees is the sponsor of these bills, and he said lawmakers are doing what they can to stop social media platforms from targeting the youth.
'We want to tell you we're listening. Your legislature is listening. We're trying to make a difference. We want to bring your stories. As awful as they are, we want them to be the last stories we hear about. We want to make sure that these social media companies are being held accountable,' Dees said.
For more information on the legislation changes, click here.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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