Social media lobby group sues US State for protecting children from Meta, TikTok and Snapchat

A trade lobby group representing major tech companies including TikTok, Snapchat, and Meta have filed a lawsuit against Ohio over a pending law that mandates children to obtain parental consent before using social media apps.

The law, part of an $86.1 billion state budget bill signed by Republican Governor Mike DeWine in July, is scheduled to take effect on January 15. Ohio’s administration promoted the measure as a way to safeguard children’s mental health, citing concerns about the intentionally addictive nature of social media.

The NetChoice trade group lodged the lawsuit against Republican Attorney General Dave Yost in the US District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, seeking to block the law’s implementation.

The legal challenge argues that Ohio’s law, requiring social media companies to obtain parental permission for users under 16, infringes upon free speech rights and is overly broad and vague.

Additionally, the law mandates that social media companies furnish parents with their privacy guidelines, allowing families to understand the content that will be censored or moderated on their child’s profile.

Chris Marchese, director of NetChoice’s litigation centre, stated, “We at NetChoice believe families equipped with educational resources are capable of determining the best approach to online services and privacy protections for themselves.” The lawsuit, NetChoice v. Yost, aims to ensure that Ohioans can embrace digital tools without compromising privacy, security, and rights.

NetChoice has previously succeeded in legal challenges against similar restrictions in California and Arkansas.

Republican Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, a supporter of the law who leads Ohio’s technology initiatives, referred to Friday’s lawsuit as “cowardly but not unexpected.”

Husted accused the tech companies of attempting to circumvent parents to expose children to harmful content and alleged that their algorithms are causing “catastrophic health and mental health outcomes” for children.

(With inputs from agencies)

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