State
BY HANNAH NORTON
New rules now limit the content minors can access online
A new law that places boundaries on how chil- dren engage with social media and what companies can do with their data went into effect on Sept. 1, though part of the bill was blocked by a federal judge due to ongoing litigation. What you need to know House Bill 18 tightens online restrictions for Texans under 18 years old. The measure—known as the Securing Children Online through Parental Empowerment Act— requires Texans to register their age when making online accounts. Digital service providers must not sell or share a minor’s personal information, collect a minor’s precise geolocation data, or allow minors to make purchases on their sites, the law states. HB 18 also allows parents to monitor their children’s activity on social media and adjust their privacy settings.
What they’re saying The Computer and Communications Industry Association and NetChoice sued Texas on July 30, arguing the law violates the First Amendment. U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman suspended a requirement that sites filter and block minors from seeing “harmful content,” which promotes or glori- fies suicide, self harm, eating disorders, substance abuse, bullying, trafficking and more. “Let me be very clear that our children are not the customers of these platforms—they are the commodity being traded,” said bill author Rep. Shelby Slawson, R-Stephenville, when the Texas House passed HB 18 last April. The law would not limit content shared by gov- ernment agencies, financial institutions, schools, medical facilities or small businesses. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expres- sion also sued Texas over the SCOPE Act, although a decision has not been reached in the case.
Implemented
Blocked
Texans must register their age when making new online accounts Digital service providers must not sell or share a minor’s personal information Providers cannot collect a minor’s precise geolocation data Providers cannot allow minors to make purchases on their sites
A requirement that sites filter and block minors from seeing “harmful content”
SOURCE: STATE OF TEXAS/COMMUNITY IMPACT
“Even minors have First Amendment rights,” said FIRE chief counsel Bob Corn-Revere in a statement. “Whether they’re 16 or 65, this law infringes on the rights of all Texans.”
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