Rep. Stewart (R-UT) Introduces Social Media Ban for Kids Under the Age of 16

Rep. Chris Stewart (R-UT) introduced the Social Media Child Protection Act (H.R.821), which would make it unlawful for social media platforms to provide access to children under the age of 16. The rates of teen and adolescent depression, anxiety, and suicide have risen at unprecedented levels since the emergence of social media. The Social Media Child Protection Act makes it unlawful for social media platforms to provide access to children under the age of 16. It also does the following:

• Makes it the social media platform's responsibility to verify age (using methods like ID verification);
• Requires social media platforms to establish and maintain reasonable procedures to protect the confidentiality, security, and integrity of personal information collected from users and perspective users;
• Gives the authority to the State to bring a civil action on behalf of its residents;
• Gives parents a private right of action on behalf of their children;
• Directs the FTC to prevent any social media platform from violating these regulations including implementing fines for violations.