Utah enacted a law on Thursday that makes minors’ access to social media subject to explicit approval from their representatives, becoming the first US state to do so.
“Indices of youth depression and other mental health issues are on the rise, and social media companies know their products are toxic. They designed their apps to be addictive,” said Spencer J. Cox, Governor of Utah, in enacting the law.
US President Joe Biden had recently advocated stricter laws to address the influence of social media on young people, while states like California, Texas and Arkansas are working on legal frameworks in this regard.
The law passed in Utah establishes that minors will need the consent of their parents or guardians to be able to open or maintain their social networks, which can considerably impact young people’s access to popular applications such as TikTok and Instagram. It also obliges the companies responsible for social networks, under penalty of economic sanctions, to allow unrestricted access to minors’ accounts to their representatives, as well as to establish a night blocking function.
Companies must also add controls to prevent children or teens from sending or receiving messages from accounts they don’t follow, and block adult accounts from their search results.
In previous statements, Governor Cox admitted that the text, criticized by those who consider it a violation of American constitutional principles, may face legal obstacles. “We are letting social media companies know that we will fight in the courts and that we will empower parents with education and tools.”
“Social media is severely impacting Utah teens,” said one of the bill’s sponsors, Republican state senator Michael K. McKell, noting that regulation is a bipartisan effort. “The impact on our children is incredibly concerning.”
The document will go into effect on March 1, 2024, as well as a second law enacted today by Spencer Cox, to prohibit companies from including features that could be addictive. “In the meantime, we are committed to working with social media companies to ensure we have rules that work for everyone,” said the co-author of this second bill, state representative Jordan Teuscher, according to the newspaper “Salt Lake Tribune”.
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