Bills advance aimed at preventing more sextortion-related tragedies

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - Keeping kids safe online is a complicated task. And one that’s changing all the time.

WLBT first introduced you to Walker Montgomery’s family last year. His name is living on through two bills at the State Capitol, both designed to try and prevent tragedies like the sextortion scheme that led him to suicide in December 2022.

”Any of this, that you see progress and Walker’s name, you know, the tendency is to want him to see it, you know, to be a part of it, and realize how much people loved him, and how much people want him here,” explained his father Brian Montgomery. “That’s just not the case. So, it’s kind of bittersweet.”

Brian Montgomery’s mission since Walker’s death has been to try and get safeguards put in place and raise awareness for other parents.

Sen. Bart Williams serves the Montgomery district and authored SB 2355, “Walker’s Law,” that would create two new criminal statutes designed to go after those committing sexual extortion.

“The social media companies spend millions of dollars and trying to abate this and they’re doing a good job,” said Sen. Williams. “But we as policymakers need to come along and help them do a better job.”

Meanwhile, Rep. Jill Ford’s House Bill 1126 would require sites to include age verification and parental consent while limiting targeted ads. And it would restrict how much information they could collect and share about the minor.

“I just don’t feel like people realize I don’t think parents realize how many hours a day their teenagers spend on Instagram,” noted Rep. Ford. “I don’t realize how many hours I spend a day on Instagram. I cannot imagine how parents can keep up with their own children’s accounts.

Statistics provided by the Attorney General’s office to lawmakers shows more than a million teens are spending 14-21 hours a week on Instagram alone.

“That’s insane,” added Ford of those statistics.

Montgomery’s now pleading with lawmakers to keep the bills moving through the process.

“This is the most powerful industry that our world has ever known,” said Montgomery. “And if we think they’re going to just sit back and not lobby and not spend money to try to prevent these kinds of things from happening, you know, these kinds of bills for I mean, we’re naïve. And so let’s get on the side of our kids, and not on the side of these tech companies.”

Both bills have passed in the chambers where they originated and are awaiting action from the other chamber.

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