New Texas Bill Could Ban Social Media for Anyone Under 18

Texas has it out for social media. A brand new invoice proposed by Texas Representative Jared Patterson is all in favour of proscribing social media entry to these beneath 18 years of age.

The invoice, H.B. No. 896, proposes new verification necessities for Texan social media customers all in favour of accessing numerous platforms. Patterson means that the social media platform should confirm the age of the account holder, by the account holder submitting a photograph of a driver’s license together with a secondary picture to verify their identification. The invoice additionally calls for {that a} social media platform should supply a workflow that may permit dad or mums to file a request to take away the profile of their youngster from the platform. The deletion of a kid’s account should be performed inside 10 days of a dad or mum submitting a elimination request.

The invoice makes no categorical point out of any specific social media platforms this legislation would apply to, and Patterson’s workplace didn’t instantly reply to Gizmodo’s request for remark.

“I would be somewhat surprised if this bill, as written, advances,” Scott Babwah Brennen informed Gizmodo in an e mail. Babwah Brennen is the Head of Online Expression Policy on the University of North Carolina’s Center on Technology Policy. “While I would anticipate pretty significant pushback from the tech community, the bill also doesn’t define ‘social media nor does it offer any limitations on which apps or companies might be included, and so would likely apply very widely.”

Reining in social media’s function in child’s lives has been on Patterson’s agenda since at the least this August, when he issued a statement condemning social media platforms function within the Robb Elementary School Shooting. Patterson particularly referred to findings from the Robb Elementary Investigative Committee Report, which claimed that customers reported the shooter’s conduct to social media platforms previous to the tragedy.

“Social media is the pre-1964 cigarette,” Patterson said. “It’s a slap in the face of all Texans that these platforms refuse to publicly answer questions from those elected to represent the people. However, as other committee members expressed, if you’re not at the table then you’re on the menu.”

Patterson’s invoice is a part of a rising wave of anti-social media—particularly anti-TikTok—efforts by state lawmakers and politicians. Earlier this month, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem kicked off the cost towards TikTok by passing an executive order that banned using TikTok on state-owned gadgets, stating on Twitter: “We will play no part in allowing China to continue to gain intel and influence in our state.” Texas, South Carolina, and Maryland management have handed related orders, whereas the Indiana Attorney General has filed two lawsuits towards the social media platform.