Utah has become the first US state to require social media companies to obtain parental consent for accounts used by those under the age of 18, which takes effect from March 2024. In addition, the law also requires social media firms to grant parents full access to their children’s accounts and to create a default “curfew” blocking overnight access to children’s accounts. The move is aimed at addressing concerns over rising addiction to social media among young people, as well as security risks such as online bullying, exploitation, and collection of children’s personal data. Similar bills are being considered in states such as Ohio and Connecticut.
In a move aimed at addressing concerns over the impact of social media on the mental health of young people, Utah has become the first US state to require social media companies to obtain parental consent for accounts used by those under the age of 18. The law, which will take effect in March 2024, will require platforms such as Instagram and TikTok to verify the age of their users.
The new law was introduced in response to fears over rising addiction to social media among young people, as well as security risks such as online bullying, exploitation, and collection of children’s personal data. The bills also require social media firms to grant parents full access to their children’s accounts, and to create a default “curfew” blocking overnight access to children’s accounts.
The law has been met with opposition from tech firms and civil liberties groups, who fear it could have far-reaching implications for free speech and curtail access to online resources for marginalized teens. There are concerns that the law could also limit access to information for young people.
“We’re no longer willing to let social media companies continue to harm the mental health of our youth,” tweeted Spencer Cox, governor of Utah, who signed the bills into law.
The legislation also sets out fines for social media companies if they target users under 18 with “addictive algorithms,” and makes it easier for parents to sue social media companies for financial, physical or emotional harm.
“We hope that this is just the first step in many bills that we’ll see across the nation, and hopefully taken on by the federal government,” said state representative Jordan Teuscher, who co-sponsored the bill.
Similar bills are currently being considered in states such as Ohio and Connecticut. The move follows California’s introduction of online safety laws including strict default privacy settings for minors.
At Thursday’s ceremony in Utah, Republican member of Utah’s Senate Michael McKell praised President Joe Biden’s recent State of the Union address, in which he raised the issue of social media’s impact on young people. Biden called on US lawmakers to restrict how social media companies advertise to children and collect their data, accusing Big Tech of conducting a “for profit” experiment on the nation’s youth.
Some social media platforms, including Instagram and TikTok, have introduced more controls for parents, such as messaging limits and time caps, to help address concerns over the impact of social media on young people’s mental health.
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