Tech Companies Sue Arkansas Over Social Media Consent Law
After Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed a law that requires Teens and children must get parental consent before logging on to social mediathat law is now in the crosshairs of a tech trade group called NetChoice, which has filed a motion a lawsuit against it.
according to a press release From NetChoice, the group submitted the legal action yesterday, while Law was signed by Sanders in April and will not come into force until September 1, 2023. NetChoice is a self-proclaimed non-profit group of technology companies that represented the like TikTok, Airbnb, Google, Amazon, PayPal and Meta.
The law — known as SB 396, or the Social Media Safety Act — would require social media platforms to verify the age of all users, and would require all users under the age of 18 to obtain parental consent before creating an account. NetChoice argues that SB 396 poses a threat to the privacy and online safety of Arkansans, especially children and young people, because the law would require social media platforms to use a third party to conduct age verification.
“We are suing Arkansas today to protect First Amendment rights and keep online speech accessible,” said Chris Marchese, director of the NetChoice Litigation Center, in the press release. “This law authorizes the state to tell Arkansas residents what types of information they can access online, requires them to turn over their most sensitive documents to use the Internet, and deprives parents and families of agency.” It is an unconstitutional seizure of power , and we demand an end to it.”
Sanders didn’t immediately respond to Gizmodo’s request for comment.
SB 396 is a prime example of the self-proclaimed petty government party’s sweeping control, but how The edge notes that the law contains some confusing rhetoric about which platforms actually require parental consent. For example, the law says it wouldn’t apply to a media company that “allows a user to create short video clips of dances, voice-overs, or any other act of entertainment whose primary purpose is not educational or informational,” which is quite a case clear description of TikTok.
Related: These 9 states are trying to keep kids off social media
However, Arkansas is not alone in its plight against social media companies. Utah passed a similar law not long before Arkansas did the same. Copycat laws were also introduced in Iowa and Louisiana – the latter as well a law requiring age verification to access pornography.
