The US state of Utah became the first in the US on Thursday, March 23, to put regulations on social media platforms requiring them to obtain parental approval for accounts used by individuals under the age of 18.
Utah has now made it mandatory for social networking sites to check the age of their users. The legislation will take effect in March 2024.
Utah: The rule has prompted criticism from internet companies and civil rights organizations
The act was introduced in response to concerns about the rising social media addiction among kids and security dangers like cyberbullying child exploitation, and data collecting on children.
However, the rule has prompted criticism from internet companies and civil rights organizations who fear that it may restrict marginalized kids’ online access and have repercussions for free speech.
“We’re no longer willing to let social media companies continue to harm the mental health of our youth,” tweeted Spencer Cox, governor of the western US state, who signed two related bills at a ceremony Thursday.
The proposals also mandate that social media companies provide parents full access to their children’s accounts and establish a “curfew” that prevents overnight access to accounts for minors.
They outline penalties for social media businesses that employ “addictive algorithms” to target users under the age of 18, and they make it simpler for parents to bring legal claims against these corporations for causing them financial, bodily, 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.
