Texas Lawmakers on Verge of Passing the Nation’s Most Restrictive Ban on Social Media Use for Under-18s

Texas senators, as one of the last measures they take up before ending their biennial session, may vote this week on a proposed state ban on children using social media. An unexpected faction of opponents, though, is calling the conservative majority’s move governmental overreach. The proposed legislation would prohibit people under age 18 from creating any social media accounts and would require social media platforms to verify the age of account holders within 10 days of allowing them to sign up. Parents and guardians could also request that social media companies delete accounts of underage users, a move that would require the companies to delete all photos or collections of personally identifiable information. Social media companies that do not age-verify or delete underage accounts on request would be subject to charges of deceptive trade practice imposed by the state’s attorney general. The bill passed the state house in April. If enacted, the law would go into effect on September 1. Twelve Republicans and three Democrats co-sponsored the bill.The social media ban, as well as a separate bill to create cellphone-free schools, has the support of a leading social scientist and author, Jonathan Haidt, whose 2024 book “Anxious Generation” spelled out neurobehavior and developmental disorders resulting from children’s addiction to social media. The book spurred action internationally by parents groups and school administrators to limit cellphone use for children. “Social media is wildly inappropriate for children,” Mr. Haidt wrote in an X post supporting the Texas bill. More than 20 states have banned cellphones in the classroom. Mr. Haidt, though, is facing backlash from technology and mental health organizations that say banning children from using their phones merely delays the inevitable and prevents parents from keeping track of their kids. “Instead of banning social media, I deep down believe that a more effective solution is a combination of education, safe spaces and guidance to help teens navigate social media more responsibly,” the founder of technology advisory group Battenhall, Drew Benvie, wrote.Bans don’t eliminate harms, but rather risk driving underage social media use underground, Mr. Benvie writes. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychological Association have both recommended parental oversight of cellphone use, digital literacy education, monitoring of maladaptive behavior, and regular downtime. Opponents to the Texas bill include tech industry trade group NetChoice, which has sued several states, including Ohio and Arkansas, for age restrictions on social media, and sued several other states over limitations it claims are free speech violations.NetChoice has found an unexpected ally among conservative influencers, who say the Texas legislation is misguided, not least because federal law already requires sites to protect children 13 and under. “This is called the NANNY state. Did you know Texas lawmakers are trying to make it ILLEGAL for teenagers to be on social media?” Laura Loomer posted on X. Pro-parent groups like Moms for Liberty, which support cellphone bans during school hours, add that kids need exposure to alternative viewpoints from a variety of social media sites. A Moms for Liberty co-founder, Tiffany Justice, referenced a Texas news article that incorrectly claims the bill has a carve-out exempting YouTube and Chinese-controlled TikTok from the age-related bans. “Why would a Texas social media ban for kids exclude YouTube?” Ms. Justice asked. “Gender ideology has been driven by social contagion through apps like @YouTube. Time to put parents in the driver’s seat, not have the government protect certain apps.”The Texas legislature passed a bill earlier this session that would require app stores to link accounts owned by minors to parents’ accounts and get approval from parents before downloading apps. That bill has been sent to Governor Abbott’s desk. Mr. Abbott’s spokesman told NBC News that he will review the social media ban legislation if it reaches his desk.

Texas Lawmakers on Verge of Passing the Nation’s Most Restrictive Ban on Social Media Use for Under-18s

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