Arkansas Becomes 2nd State To Bar Minors From Social Media Without Parental Permission

• Republican Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed a bill Wednesday requiring minors to obtain parental consent before setting up social media accounts.
• Arkansas’ Social Media Safety Act stipulates that social media companies “shall not permit an Arkansas user who is a minor to be an account holder on the social media company’s social media platform unless the minor has the express consent of a parent or legal guardian.” Age verification methods include a driver’s license or government-issued ID.
• In March, Utah passed a similar bill, which is set to take effect in 2024.

For years, social media companies have gotten away with exploiting kids for profit.

Not anymore.

I signed a new law today requiring social media companies to verify the age of all new Arkansas users — and if an account holder is under 18, they’ll need parental permission. pic.twitter.com/k0WO8438wM

— Sarah Huckabee Sanders (@SarahHuckabee) April 13, 2023