Decision-makers across the globe are seeking to make social media safer for people of all ages, especially children. Just a handful of days ago, the US Supreme Court did not agree to a request from a technology industry group.
NetChoice, an entity representing social media companies like Meta and YouTube and a number of internet sales giants, had requested to temporarily bar Mississippi from enforcing a state rule that restricts access to social media for teenagers.
In a brief unsigned order, the justices made it possible for the state of Mississippi to continue to enforce the rule against major social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, Reddit and X, as debates rage on the issue and legal battles continue.
Mississippi’s take on social media access for teens
Justice Brett Kavanaugh agreed to keep Mississippi’s rule in place but suggested that the rule is possibly “unconstitutional”, reported SCOTUSblog. This order came in a dispute regarding a Mississippi rule recognised as House Bill 1126.
Enacted last year after a teenager in the state died by suicide after facing sextortion on Instagram, this rule requires underage users to obtain their parents’ consent before creating an account on a social media platform.
It is also necessary for all social media platforms to put considerable effort into preventing children from accessing “harmful materials” and them from using sites, such as YouTube and Instagram, if their parents have not given their consent.
