On Thursday, Utah became the first state to approve laws prohibiting kids and teenagers from using social media without their parents’ permission.
The main story: Governor Spencer Cox (R) signed two legislation into law that restrict when and where people under the age of 18 can connect online and forbid businesses from recruiting children to particular websites.
The law, which is set to go into effect on March 1, 2024, requires social media companies to implement a curfew for minors in the state, prohibiting them from using their accounts between 10:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m.
Additionally, it mandates that businesses let parents or legal guardians access to their children’s accounts.
Noteworthy: Adults must also verify their ages to use social media platforms or they’ll lose account access.
Between the lines: The proposed legislation comes as experts and policymakers nationwide are warning about the mental health consequences social media may have on young users, Axios’ Kim Bojórquez and Erin Alberty report.
What they’re saying: “Social media corporations are to blame for the surge in youth rates of depression and other mental health concerns,” Cox tweeted on Thursday. We have a duty to safeguard our children as parents and as adults.
Cox has previously stated that he anticipates the measure will be the subject of a lawsuit.
What we’re seeing is The laws, according to TechFreedom’s Ari Cohn, “violate the First Amendment and threaten to split the Internet,” as he stated last week.
He argued against legislation requiring social media users to produce proof of age and, in the case of minors, parental agreement.
The burden of a legal battle over the restrictions could fall on Utah’s tax payers.
Zooming out additional states, such as Arkansas, Texas, Ohio, and Louisiana have similar bills impending.
