Both bills, signed by Governor Spence Cox on Thursday, will require social media companies to restrict minor account holders’ access to the companies’ networks.
Utah Republican Governor Spencer Cox signed two bills into law Thursday, as his state becomes the first in the nation to restrict minors’ usage of social media.
Senate Bill 152 and House Bill 311 received bipartisan support in both chambers of the state’s legislature after being introduced at the start of the new term in January. SB 152 requires social media companies to verify a user is at least 18 years old before opening an account without parental permission, and HB 311 prohibits companies « from using a design or feature that causes a minor to have an addiction to the company’s social media platform, » the bill reads.
« We’re no longer willing to let social media companies continue to harm the mental health of our youth, » Cox wrote on Twitter.
« Utah’s leading the way in holding social media companies accountable—and we’re not slowing down anytime soon, » he added in the tweet.
Under SB 152, parents or guardians whose minor has a social media account must be given access to the account, including access to the users’ posts and private messages. Social media companies will also be required to issue limited hours of access for minors from 10:30 p.
