Group representing social media giants sues Utah over parental consent law

A group representing several social media giants, including Google, Meta, TikTok and X, sued Utah on Monday over the state’s new social media law that requires platforms to verify user ages and obtain parental consent for minors.

The Utah Social Media Regulation Act, which is set to go into effect in March, also requires social media companies to restrict minor access to accounts between 10:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. and bars advertising and data collection on their accounts.

NetChoice, a trade association of nearly three dozen internet companies, argued in Monday’s filing that the Utah law violates the First Amendment, representing an “unconstitutional attempt to regulate both minors’ and adults’ access to—and ability to engage in—protected expression.”

“The Act restricts who can express themselves, what can be said, and when and how speech on covered websites can occur, down to the very hours of the day minors can use covered websites,” the lawsuit reads.

The group also argues that the law singles out certain websites, such as YouTube, Facebook and X, for regulation based on a series of “vague definitions and exceptions with arbitrary thresholds.”

“NetChoice believes that families equipped with educational resources are capable of determining the best approach to online services and privacy protections for themselves,” Chris Marchese, director of the NetChoice Litigation Center, said in a statement.

“With NetChoice v. Reyes, we are fighting to ensure that all Utahns can embrace digital tools without the forceful clutch of government control,” he added. “Now that these tools are prominent in our lives and important for our economy, young people should learn how to harness their power while developing healthy and safe habits.”