a day ago
Supreme Court upholds Mississippi social media age requirement law
A banner advertising Snap hangs from the facade of the New York Stock Exchange as Snap's initial public offering debuts in New York City in 2017. The Supreme Court Thursday refused to overturn a Mississippi law requiring age verification for social media users. File Photo by Monika Graff/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 14 (UPI) -- The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to block a law requiring social media users to verify their ages before using popular sites such as Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat.
The high court's ruling stems from a Mississippi lower court ruling that would require people to be a certain age to use popular social media sites.
Some social media site operators have argued that the Mississippi law, and efforts by other states to require age verification, violates the First Amendment clause that guarantees free speech.
Weeks ago, the Supreme Court upheld a Texas law requiring age verification for users visiting sites that contain sexually explicit content. In that ruling, Justice Clarence Thomas said the Texas law did not violate the First Amendment because, he expressed, it is important to protect "children from sexually explicit material."
Through a spokesperson, State Attorney General Lynn Fitch said the state is "grateful for the Court's decision to leave Mississippi's law in effect while the case proceeds in a way that permits thoughtful consideration of these important issues."
NetChoice, a company representing Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, X and YouTube, among others, called on the Supreme Court to intervene after the Mississippi state court said the law requiring age verification could stand while its constitutionality was being considered.
The Mississippi law requires users under 18 to verify their age, and mandates minors receive parental consent prior to accessing social media sites.
The law's authors said it is designed to buffer the growing influence of social media on younger users.
