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4w ago

Judge Blocks Georgia’s Social Media Age Verification Law

A federal judge granted a preliminary injunction after finding the statute imposes undue burdens on minors’ free speech rights.

FILE - This combination of photos from 2017 to 2022 shows the logos of Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and Snapchat on mobile devices. (AP Photo, File)
A federal judge has halted a Georgia law restricting youth access to social media.
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Overview

  • Georgia’s law would have required social media companies to verify user ages through “commercially reasonable” steps and mandate parental consent for individuals under 16.
  • U.S. District Judge Amy Totenberg ruled the measure infringes First Amendment protections by chilling anonymous speech and limiting the public’s ability to receive information.
  • NetChoice led the lawsuit on behalf of Meta, Google, YouTube, Reddit, X and Pinterest, arguing parental oversight should govern minors’ online activity.
  • Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr has vowed to appeal the injunction to uphold what he calls “commonsense measures” designed to shield children from online harms.
  • Comparable age verification and parental consent laws in at least eight other states have faced similar judicial setbacks on constitutional grounds.