San Francisco: Texas has recently joined the list of US states that ban children under the age of 18 from accessing social media platforms without parental consent.
Governor Greg Abbott of Texas signed into law a bill known as HB 18, which mandates social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and TikTok to obtain explicit consent from a minor's parent or guardian before allowing them to create their own accounts.
The bill states, "A digital service provider may collect a minor's personal identifying information if the minor's parent or guardian consents in a manner that is specific, informed, and unambiguous, taking into account the minor's age, developmental stage, and cognitive abilities."
In addition to parental consent, the new legislation compels social media platforms to implement filtering systems to prevent children from accessing "harmful" content.
Louisiana also recently passed a similar bill that requires parental consent for underage individuals to join social media platforms.
States such as Connecticut, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Ohio have also contemplated similar laws.
Utah became the first US state to establish regulations limiting children's social media usage.
Republican Governor Spencer Cox signed measures in March that necessitate parental consent before children can register on social media websites. The new laws in Utah also grant parents access to their child's accounts.