Social Media Platforms Shouldn't Own Your Identity
Utah State Capitol Building overlooks Salt Lake City skyline. Credit - Joe Sohm—Visions of America/UniversalAccess to online services is as fundamental to modern life as electricity or water. And just as we expect our electricity to be reliable and our water to be clean, we should have high expectations for the internet. Today, our data represents our personhood; it encompasses our relationships, our thoughts, our interests, and the memories we create each day. That information should be controlled by us—not by Big Tech. Utah's groundbreaking new Digital Choice Act will help make that goal possible by finally giving people agency over their data on social media platforms.
When the law takes effect on July 1, 2026, it will mark a bold step toward giving people—not social media platforms—control of their personal information. Under the Digital Choice Act, individuals will be able to use open-source protocols to seamlessly move their content and relationships to new apps if they are unhappy with the experience on a social media site. This portability and interoperability will give people the freedom to manage their digital lives without losing years of personal history. The law also gives people the power to delete all of their data when they decide to leave a platform.
For years, it has been common wisdom that social media is not the product—we are. Indeed, users do not pay for access to social media platforms, social media platforms sell our attention to advertisers. The Digital Choice Act flips that relationship around to put users back in control.
Today's social media giants use addictive algorithms to hook users, harvest data, and manipulate behavior for profit. Research has exposed how these practices harm society, especially young people. Americans are demanding action.
Laws like the Digital Choice Act put people first. They lower barriers to competition and open the door for new social media platforms. History shows that interoperability works: the Telecommunications Act of 1996 spurred innovation in mobile services and broadband, driving over $2 trillion in private investment into the telecom sector. The UK's open banking reforms of 2018 unlocked a wave of fintech startups.
As it stands today, people's livelihoods and digital personhood are continually at risk because companies control their data. We see this lesson playing out far too often. On January 19, when TikTok temporarily shut down, millions of Americans lost access to the relationships and content they had created over many years. The Digital Choice Act would have allowed users to take their data, content, and communities from TikTok and move these valuable assets to the alternative platform of their choice.
Many others fall victim to arbitrary decisions by platforms that have no meaningful oversight and provide little recourse, appeal, or ability to leave. Laws like the Digital Choice Act allow creators and everyday people on social media to migrate their content and communities to other platforms that are better positioned to meet their needs. The law also enables people to share posts across other platforms in real time in order to reach their friends and communities wherever they are.
The underlying problem of platforms effectively holding our data captive—and using it against us—is emerging as a defining challenge of our time. It is at the root of a business model that is harming our children, polarizing our neighborhoods, and undermining our national security. The Digital Choice Act starts by addressing these issues with social media where the harms are arguably most acute. However, the recent bankruptcy of 23andme, which put the DNA of the company's 15 million customers at risk, is a reminder that these questions have far broader implications. The consequences will only become more extreme as artificial intelligence drives larger portions of the economy and the internet. It is urgent that we fix this before it's too late.
Utah has long been a leader in digital privacy. In 2024, Utah passed two laws (S.B. 194 and H.B. 464) to safeguard minors, enhance parental controls, and hold social media companies accountable for mental health harms. As policymakers and parents, we have a duty to go further.
We urge other states, other countries, and the federal government to follow Utah's lead. Data rights are human rights. They should be protected by law.
If people have the power to move their information across platforms, it will permanently change a broken system that is hurting our kids, communities, and country. Data interoperability is possible: social media platforms already have access to open-source protocols that make our information portable. Millions of people are set to benefit as better laws and better tech facilitate data portability and app interoperability.
We can no longer accept a status quo where corporations hold the keys to our online lives. It's time to build a future where individuals own and control their digital identities. Shouldn't you own you?
Spencer Cox is the Governor of Utah and outgoing chair of the National Governors Association.
Frank H. McCourt Jr. is the executive chairman of McCourt Global, founder of Project Liberty, and author of "Our Biggest Fight.'
Contact us at letters@time.com.
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