A federal judge has ruled against a portion of the Texas SCOPE Act, stating that social media companies cannot be forced to block teens from accessing specific content labeled as “harmful.” This decision, resulting from a legal challenge by tech industry groups, halts the enforcement of provisions that aimed to limit teenagers’ exposure to material that could “glorify” self-harm and substance abuse.
According to The Verge, the judge’s ruling highlights concerns over free speech, emphasizing that states should not selectively restrict categories of protected speech for minors. The language used in the law, including terms like “glorifying” and “promoting,” was also criticized as vague and politically charged.
Ongoing Efforts to Regulate Social Media Use by Minors
Despite this setback for Texas legislators, other parts of the SCOPE Act remain active. These include requirements for age verification on social media platforms and restrictions on targeted advertising aimed at minors. NetChoice, the tech industry group challenging the law, argued that such measures would necessitate increased data collection from minors, raising privacy concerns.
The SCOPE law, enacted last year, is part of a wider movement across the United States to regulate how social media companies handle underage users. For instance, New York has recently passed laws limiting data collection from teenagers and requiring parental consent for features deemed addictive, such as algorithmic content feeds. California is also considering similar measures to restrict notifications and exposure to algorithms designed to keep users engaged.
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