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A Louisiana bill centered on protecting children from harm on the internet passed without objection in early May.
House Bill 570 would mandate that app stores — where users download things like TikTok, Instagram, and more — require age verification while also displaying obvious age ratings. Parental consent would also be mandated for any minors downloading apps. The bill is apparently supported by Meta, the parent company behind Instagram and Facebook.
“Parents already verify age and grant permissions when they buy a phone for their teen,” said Director of Global Litigation Strategy for Youth at Meta, Nicole Lopez, according to The Center Square. “This bill would make that process apply to all app downloads, not just purchases, using the infrastructure Apple and Google already have.”
“Our phones are now the white van,” said Michelle Johnson, another supporter of the bill. “We wouldn’t let a strange man lure our kids off the street, but we allow it online every day.” Meta claims 80% of parents support the legislation, suggesting it should walk through the legislative process, right?
Similar Laws Fail In Utah, Ohio
NetChoice policy analyst and former Missouri lawmaker Justin Hill noted similar laws have failed in places like Utah and Ohio, as they’ve been blocked by courts. “Courts have said forcing people to upload ID just to access digital content violates constitutional protections,” he told the outlet. (TAKE A SIMILAR POLL: Should kids be allowed to own cell phones?)
Read the FULL BILL text here
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