Introducing The First State To Require Parental Consent For Minors To Use Certain Social Media Apps...Drum Roll Please

Written By BlabberBuzz | Monday, 27 March 2023 01:15
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Introducing The First State To Require Parental Consent For Minors To Use Certain Social Media Apps...Drum Roll Please

Social media applications are a constant topic of controversy.

While some tout that its great children can connect, there are also downsides. Recently, social media apps and big tech platforms have come under fire for hate speech, misinformation, spying on Americans, and the harmful effects social media can have on teens. Now, one state is paving the way to reign them in and limit the harm they are doing.

Utah is the first state to require a parent’s permission for children to use social media. One bill Governor Cox signed prohibits kids from using the apps between 10:30 PM and 6:30 AM. Another requires age verification. The legislation is set to go into effect by March 2024.

It does more than just put new regulations on tech companies. In addition to that, it encourages lawsuits against social media and big tech. Per The Daily Caller, “SB 152 and HB 311 provide rules detailing how to sue the social media companies, requiring the platforms to prove that their apps are not harmful.”

The legislation will put stricter limits on things for children, too. Parents will have access to their children’s accounts, and people that the child does not follow on social media cannot message them. Underage profiles won’t appear in search results, and companies won’t be able to target children with advertising by collecting data from their accounts.

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Social media companies that lure children with addictive algorithms can face a hefty fine of $250,000. An additional fine of $2,500 per minor can also be included.

Bills that limit certain apps continuously stall on the Federal level, which is why states are now stepping in. Per NPR, “Other red states, such as Arkansas, Texas, Ohio, and Louisiana, have similar proposals in the works, along with New Jersey. California, meanwhile, enacted a law last year requiring tech companies to put kids’ safety first by barring them from profiling children or using personal information in ways that could harm children physically or mentally.”

The legislation in Utah was signed into law the same day TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testified before Congress on multiple things, including the impact of TikTok on mental health. This sends a huge message to those behind social media apps.