Utah to force social media apps to get parental consent before minors given access to apps

"Youth rates of depression and other mental health issues are on the rise. And social media companies know their products are toxic."

ADVERTISEMENT
Image
Joshua Young North Carolina
ADVERTISEMENT

On Thursday, Utah Governor Spencer Cox signed two bills into law that make his state the first in the US to mandate that social media companies obtain parental consent for anyone under 18 years of age before they can use their apps.

Cox posted a video response to the legislation on Twitter and said, "Our administration is very concerned about how social media is affecting our children. Youth rates of 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 as leaders and as parents, we have a responsibility to protect our young people."

"We put social media companies on notice, letting them know we will be fighting them in court, and we're empowering parents with education and tools. Join us in protecting our kids from the harms of social media," Cox added.

According to the BBC, the bills will go into effect on March 1, 2024 and will require social media companies to verify users are at least 18 years old on top of getting the parental consent for anyone under 18. The measures will also allow parents to have complete access to accounts their children use. Posts and private messages of those under 18 user will be legally allowed to be viewed by the parents.

The bills will also make legal action against social media giants easier, will prohibit the companies from harvesting children's data, prohibit advertising explicitly targeted at those under 18, and will block access for use by children between 10:30 pm and 6:30 am.

According to the Wall Street Journal, internal documents from facebook showed that the social media platform was "toxic for teen girls."

40 percent of teenagers claimed they used social media for the sake of looking good to others. 32 percent of teen girls said Instagram heightened insecurities about their body image, the outlet reported.

Jim Steyer, CEO of the children's advocacy group Commons Sense Media, "It adds momentum for other states to hold social media companies accountable to ensure kids across the country are protected online."

GOP lawmakers have introduced similar legislation to Utah in Texas, Ohio, Arkansas, Louisiana, and New Jersey.


 
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Sign in to comment

Comments

Powered by StructureCMS™ Comments

Join and support independent free thinkers!

We’re independent and can’t be cancelled. The establishment media is increasingly dedicated to divisive cancel culture, corporate wokeism, and political correctness, all while covering up corruption from the corridors of power. The need for fact-based journalism and thoughtful analysis has never been greater. When you support The Post Millennial, you support freedom of the press at a time when it's under direct attack. Join the ranks of independent, free thinkers by supporting us today for as little as $1.

Support The Post Millennial

Remind me next month

To find out what personal data we collect and how we use it, please visit our Privacy Policy

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
ADVERTISEMENT
© 2024 The Post Millennial, Privacy Policy