Free speech clash: Supreme Court allows Mississippi's law requiring age verification for minors; tech giants oppose mandate
The US Supreme Court on Thursday declined to temporarily block a Mississippi law that requires age verification and parental consent for minors to use social media platforms.
The law, aimed at protecting young people from potential online harm, will remain in effect while legal challenges continue.
It is one of several measures passed by US states to curb the influence of social media on children.
NetChoice – a group representing companies including Facebook,
, Reddit, X and
YouTube
had asked the Supreme Court to halt the law after the New Orleans-based 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals allowed its enforcement. A lower court had earlier blocked the law, ruling it likely violated the First Amendment.
US District Judge Sul Ozerden said the measure was overly broad and that parents already have other ways to monitor their children's online activity.
The Supreme Court did not explain its decision. However, Justice Brett Kavanaugh noted that while the law may be unconstitutional, NetChoice had not proven that enforcing it during the court battle would cause enough harm to justify halting it.
NetChoice attorney Paul Taske called the ruling a 'procedural delay' and expressed confidence the group would ultimately prevail in protecting free speech rights.
'Although we're disappointed with the Court's decision, Justice Kavanaugh's concurrence makes clear that NetChoice will ultimately succeed in defending the First Amendment − not just in this case but across all NetChoice's ID-for-Speech lawsuits," Taske said in a statement.
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Mississippi officials defended the law, saying it targets platforms that allow predators to contact minors. They cited a case in which a 16-year-old boy took his own life after he met someone on Instagram who threatened to expose their sexual encounter unless he paid $1,000.
The state also argued that blocking the law conflicted with the Supreme Court's earlier decision to uphold a Texas law requiring age verification for pornographic websites.
NetChoice maintains the law infringes on free speech by forcing all user, including adults to provide personal information to access online platforms.
"Social media is the modern printing press − it allows all Americans to share their thoughts and perspectives,' Taske said. 'Just as the government can't force you to provide identification to read a newspaper, the same holds true when that news is available online.'
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