By Tashi McQueen
AFRO Political Writer
tmcqueen@afro.com
Gov. Wes Moore signed data protection bills and legislation to eradicate poverty throughout Maryland into law on May 9.
The Maryland Kids Code creates regulations designed to keep kids safe while online.
“It’s meant to rein in some of the worst practices with sensible regulation that allows companies to do what’s right and what is wonderful about the internet and tech innovation, while at the same time saying, ‘you can’t take advantage of our kids,’” said Del. Jared Solomon, a sponsor of the bill, during a virtual press conference on May 8.“‘You have to have some limits on what you can do.’”
A 2022 Pew Research Center survey, found that 97 percent of teens ages 13 to 17 use the internet daily.
Solomon further explained how the bill limits what online platforms can do concerning youth users.
“When it goes into effect in October, companies will no longer be able to track the locations of individuals. They won’t be able to collect or sell the data of young people,” he said. “It will prevent anonymous adults from contacting minors.”
Solomon said companies will still be able to use data that is required for a platform or website to function. The bill will go into effect in October of this year, but the data impact assessment portion of the legislation will go into effect on April 1, 2026.
Moore also signed the Maryland Online Data Privacy Act of 2024, a broad data protection bill that will take effect on October 1, 2025.
The Engaging Neighborhoods, Organizations, Unions, Governments, and Households Grant Program (ENOUGH Act) was also signed into law on May 9. It aims to eradicate poverty in Maryland communities by putting state money into impoverished neighborhoods and building partnerships.
“This legislation calls on communities to come together and create comprehensive plans on how to make their neighborhoods better,” said Moore. “This is about the communities putting together a plan and then just simply looking at the state as a partner in that work.”
Moore also reflected on the Brooklyn Homes mass shooting of July 2023, which resulted in the death of 18-year-old Aaliyah Gonzalez and 20-year-old Kylis Fagbemi. Moore emphasized how poverty can snowball into larger issues.
“One of the greatest drivers of hardship and heartbreak in our state is poverty. Poverty drives violence, poverty drives despair,” said Moore. “It should not be lost on anyone that in Brooklyn, one in two children grow up in poverty. We’ve seen similar numbers in Brooklyn for over a decade because those who grow up in poverty are most likely to die in poverty.”
The ENOUGH Act goes into effect on July 1.
Tashi McQueen is a Report For America corps member.