A federal judge on Monday blocked Ohio from implementing a new law that requires social media companies, including Meta Platform’s Instagram and ByteDance’s TikTok, to obtain parental consent before allowing children under 16 to use their platforms.
U.S. District Judge Algenon Marbley in Columbia agreed with the tech industry trade group NetChoice that the law violated minors’ free speech rights under the First Amendment of the Constitution.
It marked the latest court decision blocking a state law designed to protect young people online as federal and state lawmakers look for ways to address growing concerns about the dangers social media poses to children’s mental health.
Republican Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost had argued that the state’s Social Media Parental Notification Law, which the legislature passed in July, was a valid measure intended to protect minors from harm to their health. mental and sexual predators.
But Marbley agreed with NetChoice, whose members include TikTok, Elon Musk’s X, Alphabet’s YouTube and Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, that the law was “not strictly tailored to those purposes.”
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified at a Senate hearing last month. AFP via Getty Images Tech industry trade group NetChoice argued that the law violated minors’ free speech rights under the First Amendment of the Constitution. AP
“Preventing minors under sixteen from accessing all website content that the law is intended to cover, without affirmative parental consent, is a surprisingly forceful instrument for reducing the harm that social media causes to children.” , wrote.
Monday’s ruling indefinitely suspended Ohio’s law while litigation continues after the judge last month issued an order temporarily blocking it from taking effect on Jan. 15 as scheduled.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, called the ruling disappointing. He cited “overwhelming evidence that social media has a negative effect on the mental health of minors, including increased depression and suicide-related behavior.”
The ruling marked the latest court decision blocking a state law designed to protect young people online as lawmakers look for ways to address growing concerns about the dangers social media poses to children’s mental health. NurPhoto via Getty Images
“Given that federal courts are interpreting federal constitutional law as preventing the state of Ohio from protecting Ohio’s children, then Congress must act to protect our country’s children,” he said in a statement.
Last year, NetChoice won court rulings blocking a similar social media parental consent law in Arkansas and a children’s digital privacy law in California.
He is also challenging restrictions adopted in Utah.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn