Atlanta – Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has signed a series of bills into law regulating how children in the state use social media and the internet.
Governor Kemp signed Senate Bill 351 on Tuesday, requiring children under the age of 16 to get explicit parental permission to create social media accounts. Companies will be required to verify users' ages by July 1, 2025.
Officials say the primary goal of the law is to combat cyberbullying and address youth mental health concerns related to social media use.
“We cannot stand by and do nothing while Georgia's young people suffer from addiction, disorders and online adversaries,” Kemp said.
more: Governor Kemp signs controversial Georgia school voucher bill
Several other states, including Louisiana, Arkansas, Ohio and Utah, passed laws last year requiring parental consent for children to use social media. Courts in Arkansas, California and Ohio have blocked the laws. NetChoice, a trade group for online businesses, said the law's “flaws will quickly invite litigation.”
A 12-year-old boy looks at an iPhone screen displaying various social media apps, including TikTok, Facebook and X, in Bath, England, February 25, 2024. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
more: Reaction to bill requiring parents to give permission for their children to participate in social media
“There is a better way to protect Georgians, their families and their online data without infringing on their freedoms or putting their safety and security at risk,” Carl Szabo, NetChoice vice president and general counsel, said in a statement.
Kemp said he wasn't worried about legal threats: “If I was worried about every legal challenge that could come up during this session, I probably wouldn't have passed anything,” he told reporters.
Georgia to make age verification mandatory for adult sites
The bill, introduced by Republican state Sen. Jason Anavitate, would also require pornography sites to require users to upload government-issued photo identification to verify they are over 18.
If companies are found to have minors accessing the site, they could be held liable and face fines of up to $10,000 per child.
Several other states, including Texas, have enacted age verification laws in recent years. In March, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a Texas law, causing Pornhub to block access to Texans.
The Free Speech Coalition, which represents adult filmmakers and challenged the Texas law, argues that the Georgia law is ineffective because it allows users to hide their location and forces them to transmit sensitive information. It also argues that the law is unconstitutional because there are less restrictive ways to keep children out and discriminate against certain types of speech. The coalition is suing several states over the law.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.