TEEN ‘APPY’ HOURS
Utah ‘social’ curfew
Utah became the first state in the nation to impose a curfew on social media access for children and teens as part of sweeping reforms amid the dangers posed by harmful content on TikTok and other platforms.
Republican Gov. Spencer Cox signed off on the Utah Social Media Regulation Act on Thursday as TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew was grilled on Capitol Hill — with one analyst describing Chew’s evasive testimony as a “disaster” for the video-sharing app as it faces a potential US ban.
Under Utah’s laws — which go into effect in March 2024 — minors will be barred from using social media sites like TikTok, Snap and Instagram between the hours of 10:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m.
The legislation also blocks social media companies from implementing addictive features and advertising aimed at underage users, and makes it easier for families alleging harm to sue for damages.
“We’re no longer willing to let social media companies continue to harm the mental health of our youth,” Cox tweeted after signing off on the laws.
“Utah’s leading the way in holding social media companies accountable — and we’re not slowing down anytime soon,” Cox added.
Utah’s GOP-backed laws are some of the most restrictive implemented to date in a growing nationwide movement to protect the mental health of young users and shield them from harmful online content.
The laws faced pushback from the tech industry as well as advocacy groups such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation, which argued that “the majority of young Utahns will find themselves effectively locked out of much of the web.”
Social media companies are expected to sue to block Utah’s laws from taking effect next March.
“We want teens to be safe online,” a spokesperson for Instagram parent Meta said in a statement. “We’ve developed more than 30 tools to support teens and families, including tools that let parents and teens work together to limit the amount of time teens spend on Instagram, and age verification technology that helps teens have age-appropriate experiences.”
Representatives for TikTok and Snapchat did not immediately return requests for comment.
Similar legislation is under consideration in right- and left-leaning states across the nation, including Texas, Ohio and New Jersey.