As soon as next year Louisiana could crack down on minors’ social media use, potentially requiring age verification for Facebook, Instagram and other platforms as part of a national push to shield children from some social media content.
Sen. Patrick McMath’s Senate Bill 162 would help address what he calls a public health crisis of children and teenagers spending too much time on social media and encountering dangerous content and people.
It was modeled after a Utah law that banned youth from using social media without their parents’ permission.
If the bill passes it would not take effect until July 1, 2024, giving lawmakers another session to look at it.
On Tuesday the House Commerce Committee sent the bill to the House floor; the House and Senate would need to agree to any changes before sending it to Gov. John Bel Edwards.
Several other states have passed or are considering passing similar laws, and a bipartisan group of lawmakers in Washington have introduced legislation targeting social media use by kids and teens.
