Utah recently made headlines as it became the first state in the United States to pass two new laws aimed at regulating social media use by teenagers. The laws, which are set to take effect in March next year, impose strict rules on how social media companies handle accounts of teenagers, including provisions for parental consent, in-app parental controls, and curfew features. However, the most controversial aspect of the law is the requirement for age verification of users, particularly the youngest ones.
Under the new rules, companies such as Snap, Meta (formerly Facebook), and TikTok will no longer be able to simply allow teens to enter their own birthdate at sign-up. Instead, they will need to go through a different process, such as providing a copy of an identification document, to verify their age before they can access their accounts. This age verification requirement has sparked a heated debate among lawmakers, experts, and social media companies themselves.
Proponents of the law argue that it is a necessary step to protect teenagers from the potential harms of social media, such as cyberbullying, online predators, and exposure to inappropriate content. They believe that age verification will help prevent underage users from accessing platforms that are not appropriate for their age group, and that parental consent and in-app controls will give parents more oversight and control over their children’s online activities. They also argue that social media companies should be held accountable for the content and features they provide to young users, as well as the potential addictive nature of their platforms.
However, critics of the law raise concerns about privacy, security, and the practicality of implementing age verification measures. They argue that requiring teenagers to provide identification documents to social media companies raises privacy and security concerns, as it may expose sensitive personal information and increase the risk of identity theft. They also question the effectiveness of age verification, as determined teenagers may still find ways to create fake accounts or misrepresent their age. Some critics also argue that social media companies should not be burdened with the responsibility of verifying the ages of their users, and that parents should play a more active role in monitoring their children’s online activities.
Utah is not the only state considering such laws. Arkansas, Ohio, Connecticut, and Minnesota are also reportedly considering social media laws with similar age verification requirements or other age-based restrictions. At the federal level, Senator Josh Hawley has proposed a bill that would ban teenagers under 16 from using social media altogether and would require social media companies to independently verify the ages of their users. Even the US Surgeon General has expressed concerns about the minimum age requirement for social media use, suggesting that 13 may be “too young” for teenagers to be using these platforms.
The proposed laws are part of a broader discussion and reckoning around how social media is impacting its youngest users. In recent years, lawmakers, armed with research on teenage social media usage and its potential negative impacts, have been pushing for increased regulation of Big Tech, with a focus on youth safety. Alongside age verification, there have been proposals to rein in algorithms, make it more difficult to post content, and limit the “addictive” features of social media apps.
As the debate continues, social media companies are grappling with the challenges of balancing the benefits and risks of their platforms for young users. They are also navigating the complex landscape of state and federal regulations, privacy concerns, and user expectations. The outcome of these debates and the implementation of these laws will undoubtedly have significant implications for how social media is used by teenagers, and may set a precedent for similar laws in other states or at the federal level.
