Ohio Court Allows Parental Consent Requirement For Social Media Users Under 16!

As questions around children's online safety continue to grow, governments are looking for ways to give parents more control over their kids' digital lives. In Ohio, a long-running legal battle over social media access for minors has reached an important milestone after a federal appeals court cleared the way for a new state law to take effect.

 

TL;DR

 

• Ohio court clears social media age-check law for users under 16.
• Parental approval will now be required for under-16 social media accounts in Ohio.
• Appeals court says Ohio's child social media law does not violate free speech protections.

A U.S. appeals court has ruled that Ohio can enforce a law requiring social media platforms to get parental permission before allowing users under 16 to create accounts. The decision reverses an earlier ruling that had temporarily blocked the law following a challenge from the tech industry.

The law, called the Social Media Parental Notification Act, was passed in 2023. It requires certain websites and social media platforms to verify users' ages and obtain parental consent before providing access to younger users.

The challenge was brought by NetChoice, a trade group whose members include Meta, YouTube, and TikTok. The organization argued that the law is unclear and limits access to content protected by the First Amendment.

However, the appeals court found that the law does not violate free speech protections and is narrowly focused on addressing concerns about children's use of social media without parental involvement.

Writing for the court, U.S. Circuit Judge, Eric Clay said, "At bottom, the Act imposes a parental consent requirement. That requirement constitutes a marginal burden that precisely targets the multi-faceted problem that Ohio has identified: Children’s unsupervised assent to terms and conditions for use of platforms that take advantage of and harm them."
 
NetChoice criticized the decision, saying it threatens the privacy and constitutional rights of Ohio residents. The group added that it remains confident the law will eventually be struck down.

Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson welcomed the ruling, saying it "gives parents the tools to be involved and provide oversight."

The decision comes as lawmakers in several countries, including Australia, consider or introduce tougher rules around children's access to social media. Supporters see these measures as a way to improve online safety, while critics argue they could raise concerns about privacy and free expression.