Kids in Utah Are Going to Hate These New Social Media Laws
Utah will soon require parental consent for minors to use social media. Gov. Spencer Cox signed into law two pieces of legislation that force social networks to verify the age of Utah residents who create a profile, and obtain parental consent for anyone under the age of 18.
Beginning March 1, 2024, services with over 10 million users must follow a slew of new rules, including granting guardians permission to view all posts and messages on their child's account and creating a default digital curfew between 10:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. local time (though parents can turn that off).
The edicts—HB 311(Opens in a new window) and SB 152(Opens in a new window)—also ban direct messaging of certain accounts, surfacing minors' profiles in search results, displaying advertising, collecting or using personal information, and targeting or suggesting ads or content.
"We're no longer willing to let social media companies continue to harm the mental health of our youth," Gov. Cox tweeted(Opens in a new window). He pointed people to socialmedia.utah.gov(Opens in a new window) for more information.
When the laws kick in next year, folks will be able to start suing social media companies over damages incurred by a Utah minor for "any addiction, financial, physical, or emotional harm suffered as a consequence" of using their platforms. For those under 16, harm is presumed under law and companies must prove otherwise, or face penalties, like a $250,000 fine for use of addictive design features and up to $2,500 per exposed child.
"Youth rates of depression and other mental health issues are on the rise because of social media companies," according to Cox(Opens in a new window). "As leaders, and parents, we have a responsibility to protect our
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