Professional associations representing tech companies are urging Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards to veto a measure that would require minors to get parental permission before they can sign up for social media and gaming accounts.
House Bill 62, authored by Rep. Laurie Schlegel (R-Metairie), unanimously passed the Louisiana House and Senate. The bill would nullify any contract between computer service providers and minors, unless the parent or guardian of the minor provides consent.
The measure would apply to any online social media account, according to the Legislature’s analysis of the bill. It would take effect on Aug. 1, 2024.
Washington, D.C.-based NetChoice agrees with the basis of the bill –- to protect children and teens from online hazards – but said the bill would require large-scale data collections for people of all ages in order to verify its age provisions.
“We are hopeful that Gov. Edwards will veto this bill,” Carl Szabo, NetChoice’s vice president and general counsel, said in a statement provided to the Louisiana Record. “It violates First Amendment rights, takes away parental rights for their families and requires massive data collection on all Louisiana citizens. It will decimate anonymous browsing and gaming – requiring citizens to hand over data to prove their identity and age just to use an online service.”
Anonymity among some social media users, such as whistleblowers and crime victims, should be recognized as important to avoid online retaliation, according to Szabo.
Another tech trade group, the Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA), said the bill would have negative consequences if signed into law.
“CCIA is concerned that businesses may be forced to collect geolocation and age-verification data, which would paradoxically force companies to collect a higher volume of data on users,” the CCIA said in a prepared statement. “Businesses may be forced to accumulate personal information they do not want to collect and consumers do not want to give, and that data collection creates extra privacy and security risks for everyone.”
In addition, it’s unclear what effect virtual private networks, or VPNs, could have when users attempt to evade age-verification provisions in the bill, according to the CCIA.
U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy last month posted an advisory on “Social Media and Youth Mental Health” that concludes social media use can harm the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents. Several other states have passed measures similar to the Louisiana bill.