Kids and Social Media (Editorial)

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The Arkansas Senate last week approved proposed changes to the state’s Social Media Safety Act, requiring social media platforms to verify the age of those opening a new account and requiring parental consent for children under 18. The act, passed by the state Legislature in 2023, was the first of its kind in the nation. A federal judge last month declared the law unconstitutional and blocked it, saying it violated Arkansans’ First Amendment rights.

The changes proposed in the current legislative session seek to address the concerns of the court by, among other actions, more explicitly defining social media and redefining minor users as those under 16.

A second measure would allow parents to sue social media platforms if the platforms’ content causes their child “significant bodily or cognitive harm.”

We applaud lawmakers for seeking to protect children from the potential harms of social media and hope they can accomplish that goal without violating free speech protections.

Ultimately, however, no law can take the place of parents who know what their children are doing and what media they’re consuming. And no legislation is superior to parents who talk to their children, answer their questions honestly and provide love, guidance and support.