In a move that is sure to enrage the leftist, grooming community, the state of Utah has passed a sweeping bill that would limit the hours kids are allowed to be on social media, and who has access to them online. Of course, this should all just be common sense, but since the left loves nothing more than putting children in harms way, many salty, angry leftist tears are already being shed.
Minors need to be protected online. Mental health issues, isolation, and predators are everywhere online and too often parents have no idea what their kids are into. Utah is saying no more. Check this out
Republican Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signed two bills on Thursday that would regulate children’s use of social media, as lawmakers in Congress question TikTok over its effect on kids and national security.
Cox said that the purpose of the new regulations, which included not allowing a minor to open a social media account without parental consent, is to protect kids’ mental health.
“We’re no longer willing to let social media companies continue to harm the mental health of our youth,” he said on Twitter. “Utah’s leading the way in holding social media companies accountable – and we’re not slowing down anytime soon.”
The legislation, which is the first of its kind in the nation, is expected to be challenged in court by social media companies. The laws, House Bill 311 and Senate Bill 152, were passed by the Republican-controlled Utah legislature earlier this year.
Utah's governor signed a bill Thursday that prohibits social media services from allowing users under 18 to have accounts without parental consent. The measure will also require networks to give Utah parents access to their children’s posts and messages. https://t.co/sfaZ9XAtGe
— The New York Times (@nytimes) March 24, 2023
Too many kids, particularly girls, get bullied and harassed online. The suicide rates are higher among girls than boys online, as we all know, teenage girls can be ruthless. Parents should absolutely have to give permission for minors to open a social media account. Minors have to have parental consent for most things, why should social media be different?
Included in the new legislation, which goes into effect in 2024, is a ban on social media use by children from 10:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m., which parents will have the liberty to adjust. Additionally, children will not show up in search results and will not be able to receive direct messages from those they are not friends with or following under the new law.A provision in HB 311 allows children to sue for damages related to social media use.
This takes aim at “addictive” features in social media, including “a $250,000 fine for social media companies which use addictive design features” and “a penalty of up to $2,500 per child exposed to an addictive feature.” For those under 16, there will be a presumption of harm unless proven otherwise, according to the Utah government.
This doesn’t even begin to cover TikTok and the damage the Chinese spy tool does. The insane need for views and likes, imitating dangerous stunts, and making contact with online predators is all too prevalent on social media. Utah has taken important steps to protect children, and hopefully more states will follow suit.
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