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.
