A divided panel of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that Ohio’s law requiring children under 16 to get parental consent to use social media apps must be restored. The decision is a blow to NetChoice, a trade group representing major tech companies, which had won court victories against similar laws in other states.
Background of the Law
The Social Media Parental Notification Act was part of an $86.1 billion state budget bill signed into law by Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine in July 2023. The law requires companies to get parental permission for social media and gaming apps and to provide their privacy guidelines so families know what content would be censored or moderated on their child’s profile.
The administration pushed the measure as a way to protect children’s mental health, with then-Lt. Gov. Jon Husted saying that social media was “intentionally addictive” and harmful to kids. Republican Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson called the ruling “a win for Ohio families,” stating that the court agreed that parents – not social media companies – should get a say in what kids see online.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
