The Pros and Cons of Social Media Restrictions for Children in a US State: An Explanation

On March 23, 2023, Utah Governor Spencer Cox signed two social media regulation bills during a ceremony at the Capitol building in Salt Lake City. The state has become the first in the US to require social media sites to obtain parental consent for accounts used by individuals under the age of 18. The law is set to take effect in March 2024 and is a response to growing concerns over youth addiction to social media and security risks such as online bullying, exploitation, and collection of children’s personal data. The Social Media Regulation Act comprises two laws, SB 152 and HB 311. SB 152 mandates social media firms to verify the age of any Utah resident who has an account on their platform. Individuals under the age of 18 will need their parent or guardian’s permission to sign up for an account and access it between the hours of 10:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. Social media companies will also be prohibited from advertising to or collecting data on minors. HB 311 requires social media companies to ensure that their platforms are not intended to cause minors to become addicted to them. It also gives Utah minors the right to sue social media companies if they believe they have become addicted to or otherwise harmed by a social media platform on which they have an account. The bills also require social media firms to grant parents full access to their children’s accounts, create a default “curfew” blocking overnight access to children’s accounts, set out fines for social media companies if they target users under 18 with “addictive algorithms,” and make it easier for parents to sue social media companies for financial, physical or emotional harm. The law has prompted warnings from tech firms and civil liberties groups that it could curtail access to online resources for marginalized teens and have far-reaching implications for free speech. However, lawmakers in states such as Ohio and Connecticut are working on similar bills, and platforms including Instagram and TikTok have introduced more controls for parents, such as messaging limits and time caps.