Louisiana Judge Blocks Social Media Age-Check Law

(KNGT-FM) - For parents hoping that official age requirements would soon be put in place for kids using social media apps, it looks like that wait will continue. We’ve got what you need to know about the recent court ruling and what it means for families in Louisiana.

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A federal judge in Louisiana has stopped a law that would have required children under 16 to get their parents’ permission before creating social media accounts. The law, passed in 2023, was called the Secure Online Child Interaction and Age Limitation Act. It was designed to make social media companies check the ages of users and make sure parents approve accounts for children under 16.

The law applies to many popular online platforms. Some of these included Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Nextdoor, Pinterest, Reddit, Snapchat, X, YouTube, Tumblr, Discord, and Twitch. It would have required these companies to verify the ages of young users and get consent from parents before children could create accounts.

The law was challenged by a technology trade group called NetChoice, which argued that the law was too vague and violated the First Amendment, which protects free speech. NetChoice said the law could block lawful speech online and create serious privacy risks.

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On Monday, Judge John W. deGravelles sided with NetChoice. He ruled that the law was unconstitutional because it was vague. The judge agreed that it went too far in controlling what people can say and do online.

“Today, the First Amendment prevailed in Louisiana,” said Paul Taske, co-director of NetChoice’s Litigation Center. He explained that the government should not tell people what they can see online. Taske said that parents are the best people to decide how their children use the internet. He also warned that the law would have created privacy risks similar to problems seen in other countries that do not protect free speech as strongly.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill criticized the ruling. She said the law was meant to protect children from online predators and would have required only simple age checks. She called the court’s decision a win for large technology companies over child safety. The state plans to appeal the ruling.

For now, the law will not take effect. Children under 16 can continue to create social media accounts without parental permission. Parents should still monitor their children’s online activity and take steps to keep them safe on social media.