Pair of bills aim to protect children
Despite being a form of entertainment and a way to connect with others, social media has become increasingly harmful for users because of hate speech, misinformation and effects on mental health — especially where young users are concerned.
As a result, Utah’s Republican Gov. Spencer Cox signed two measures Thursday that will require parental consent before children can sign up for sites such as Instagram and TikTok.
The bills would prohibit children younger than 18 from using social media between the hours of 10:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m., require age verification for anyone who wants to use social media in Utah and seek to prevent tech companies from luring children, using addictive features, to use their apps.
The laws passed through Utah’s legislature and reflect how perceptions are changing when it comes to technology companies, even when it comes to pro-business Republicans.
For more than a decade, tech giants such as Google and Facebook have enjoyed unbridled growth, but lawmakers have begun trying to rein them in because of hate speech, misinformation, privacy concerns and the negative mental health effects these apps have on teens.
However, legislation at the federal level has stalled, which has pushed states to step in. Other red states to include Louisiana, Arkansas, Ohio, New Jersey and Texas are working on similar proposals.
In California, a law was enacted last year that requires tech companies to put childrens’ safety first by barring them from using personal information in ways that could harm them mentally or physically. The law also bars them from profiling children.
Back in Utah, social media companies would “likely have to design new features to comply with parts of the law to prohibit promoting ads to minors and showing them in search results,” an NPR report said. “Tech companies like TikTok, Snapchat and Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, make most of their money by targeting advertising to their uses.”
Anyone who has a social media account knows the above statement to be true. The apps are chock full of advertising and it’s oftentimes a bit unnerving to see some of those ads.
We know geo-fencing is a real advertising strategy, but it seems at times, that our phones pick up on conversations and advertising on these platforms reflects some of those conversations. For example: Have you had a conversation about pizza, then open one of the apps to find a local pizza place advertised? Or maybe you’ve talked about a health issue, only to find a medication ad for that same ailment.
The bottom line is this: If you are concerned about privacy, steer clear of social media. Not allowing children to use the apps is the best way for parents to protect them.