Overview

• The Supreme Court on August 14 refused to block enforcement of Mississippi’s law, issuing a brief unsigned order that maintains the status quo.
• The law mandates parental "express consent" for minors’ social media accounts and obliges platforms to use commercially reasonable methods to verify users’ ages.
• Justice Brett Kavanaugh warned the statute is "likely unconstitutional" but concluded NetChoice had not demonstrated the need for emergency relief.
• NetChoice, representing social media giants including Meta, YouTube and Snapchat, contends the requirements infringe free-speech protections and threaten user privacy.
• With enforcement underway, lower courts will continue constitutional challenges as similar age-verification laws face varied rulings in multiple states.