• Connecticut, Nebraska and Utah are leading efforts in the U.S. to implement stricter social media regulations aimed at protecting minors, with potential impacts on online privacy and personal freedom.
• This bill targets social media algorithms, imposing time restrictions and parental consent requirements for minors’ access, highlighting the need for effective age verification by social media platforms.
• This act focuses on expanding digital ID requirements for social media access by minors, raising concerns about personal data collection and the potential erosion of online anonymity.
• This bill requires app stores to verify a user’s age before allowing downloads and mandates parental control and verification for minor users, classifying non-compliance as a deceptive trade practice.
• The proposed regulations signal a shift toward more controlled digital spaces, with potential ramifications for online privacy and anonymity, and raise questions about the balance between safety and freedom in the digital age.

In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, the push for stricter social media regulations is gaining traction across the United States. Connecticut, Nebraska and Utah are at the forefront of this movement, with proposed legislation that aims to curb the influence of social media on minors. While these measures are framed as necessary steps to protect children, they also represent a significant shift toward mandatory digital ID systems. This shift could have far-reaching consequences for online privacy and personal freedom, raising critical questions about the future of the internet.

Connecticut: Targeting algorithms and imposing time limits

Connecticut’s House Bill 6857, titled “An Act Concerning the Attorney General’s Recommendations Regarding Social Media and Minors,” is one of the most ambitious efforts to regulate social media content for young users. Attorney General William Tong, a vocal advocate for the bill, argues that social media platforms deliberately use machine learning algorithms to keep users, especially children, engaged. “These algorithms analyze user behavior to feed them increasingly compelling content, a tactic I believe is particularly harmful to children,” Tong asserts.

If passed, HB6857 would impose several stringent measures:

• Algorithmic recommendations: Prohibit algorithm-based content recommendations for minors unless a parent explicitly opts in.
• Time restrictions: Block social media access for children between midnight and 6 a.m. and impose a daily usage limit of one hour.
• Parental consent: Require parents to make an active decision regarding their child’s access to algorithms, ensuring it involves more than a simple click-through agreement.

Tong emphasizes the importance of parental involvement: “If an individual parent decides that they want their kid to have access to algorithms, that they can handle it, they can do that, but they have to affirmatively make that decision.”

Despite these intentions, the bill also acknowledges the challenges of effective age verification. Tong dismisses the notion that social media giants lack the resources to implement robust age-gating measures: “It’s up to these companies, which make trillions of dollars every year off of all of us, to figure out how to effectively age gate, verify the age of young people and to verify parent consent. We know that just putting a page up that says, ‘Are you 18 or not?’ and clicking ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ doesn’t do it. It’s not enough.”

Nebraska: Expanding digital ID requirements

Nebraska’s LB383, the Parental Rights in Social Media Act, takes a similar but distinct approach. The bill requires social media companies to implement “reasonable age verification” to block minors from accessing platforms without parental consent. According to Unicameral Update, acceptable verification methods include digital IDs and third-party age authentication services. These entities would be required to delete personal data after verification, but the bill still raises concerns about the amount of personal information users must provide.

Attorney General Mike Hilgers sees social media engagement as a calculated business model: “These are not on-accident algorithms that are just sort of inadvertently bringing in children. These are by design because some of the most lucrative customers you can find in this area are children.” Despite assurances about data deletion, critics warn that these laws could set a precedent for broader digital ID requirements, potentially eroding online anonymity.

Utah: App Store accountability and parental control

Utah’s Senate Bill 142 (SB142), the App Store Accountability Act, shifts the focus to app stores. The bill would require app stores to verify a user’s age before allowing downloads. If the user is a minor, their account would need to be linked to a parent’s account, with parents verifying their identity—potentially using a credit card—before granting access.

The enforcement mechanism in SB142 is particularly aggressive. Non-compliance would be classified as a “deceptive trade practice” under Utah law, giving parents the right to take legal action against app store providers. This provision underscores the bill’s emphasis on parental control and accountability.

The broader implications of digital ID expansion

While these bills are ostensibly aimed at protecting children, they also represent a significant step toward a more monitored and controlled digital space. Digital ID systems, whether government-issued IDs, credit cards, or third-party verification services, could fundamentally reshape the internet. Critics argue that once identity checks become standard, they could extend beyond social media, making anonymous online access increasingly difficult.

Joel R. McConvey, writing for a tech news outlet, highlights the global trend toward age verification. “In the past twelve months, age assurance for online content has gone from a relatively niche issue to a priority agenda item for governments, activists and the biggest names in tech.” This trend is evident in various legislative efforts, from the UK’s Ofcom guidelines to the ongoing trial of age verification technologies in Australia.

Google and Meta, two of the largest tech companies, are already leaning into age verification. Google announced it will use machine learning algorithms to estimate the age of YouTube users, aiming to provide age-appropriate experiences and protections. Meta is reportedly following suit, testing similar technologies.

However, the legal landscape is complex. A federal judge in Texas temporarily blocked parts of the state’s SCOPE Act, citing First Amendment concerns. FIRE Chief Counsel Bob Corn-Revere argues, “States can’t block adults from engaging with legal speech in the name of protecting children, nor can they keep minors from ideas that the government deems unsuitable.”

Balancing safety and freedom

The push for social media regulation in Connecticut, Nebraska and Utah reflects a growing concern about the impact of digital platforms on young users. While these measures aim to protect children, they also raise important questions about privacy, personal freedom and the future of the internet. As these bills advance, the debate will likely intensify, forcing policymakers, tech companies and the public to grapple with the trade-offs between safety and freedom in the digital age.

Sources include:

ReclaimTheNet.org

BiometricUpdate.com