A new law, the first of its kind, restricts children's use of social media and has been challenged by an industry group representing TikTok, Meta, X, and Snap.
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The trade group NetChoice argues that the law introduced by Utah, which other states, is unconstitutional.
Utah was the first state to require children to seek parental consent before using social media after 10:30 p.m. The law is expected to take effect in March of next year.
Several US states are planning or considering similar legislation – New York, for example. This would require children to have parental permission to use algorithmically-driven apps, as well as require social media apps to implement three parental controls:
- Limiting screen time
- Turn off notifications from midnight to 6 a.m.
- Block or restrict access during the same hours
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Of course, social media companies oppose this kind of legislation and have expressed their opposition every time it has been proposed.
The Associated Press reports that an industry group representing some of the largest social networks has now filed a lawsuit in federal court in an attempt to block the implementation of Utah's privacy .
Utah Governor Spencer Cox said that lawsuits will be filed and his statement that this does not concern him. According to the AP news, the state intends to deal with the case.
The federal case will be important, as it could set a precedent that will influence future legal challenges to similar legislation from other states.
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The main purpose of this new law is to protect children from the potential dangers of using social media. This includes protection from harassment, bullying, exposure to inappropriate content , and invasion of privacy.
Furthermore, the law aims to encourage healthy and safe use of social media by children. This means that children must be informed about the risks and opportunities offered by the internet, as well as how to use it safely.
Finally, the law aims to strengthen the responsibility of parents and social media service providers. Parents must be more active in supervising their children's use of social media, while service providers must take measures to protect children.
Source: 9to5mac
