Social Media Parental Notification Act
{{Infobox law
| short_title = {{PAGENAMEBASE}}
| image = Seal of Ohio.svg
| long_title = Parental Notification by Social Media Operators Act
| autocollapse_long_title = true
| citation = Ohio Rev. Code § 1349.09
| territorial_extent = Ohio
| enacted_by = Government of Ohio
| passed2 = June 12, 2023
| summary = Stops minors under the age of 16 from signing up to social media without parental consent
| status = halted
}}
The Social Media Parental Notification Act is a bill implemented by Ohio's governor that requires online companies to obtain parental consent in order for a minor under the age of 16 to use the platform.{{Cite web |date=2024-01-09 |title=Governor DeWine, Lt. Governor Husted Release Statements Following Court Decision that Temporarily Blocks Social Media Parental Notification Act |url=https://governor.ohio.gov/media/news-and-media/governor-dewine-lt-governor-husted-release-statements-following-court-decision-that-temporarily-blocks-social-media-parental-notification-act |access-date=2024-02-09 |website=governor.ohio.gov}}
History
The bill was passed on 12 June 2023 by the Ohio congress. Lieutenant governor Jon Husted advocated for the law due to his belief that social media is "designed to be addictive and is harming the mental health of children.".{{Cite web |last=Bennett |first=Kayla |date=2023-12-28 |title=New law in Ohio cracks down on social media use among kids: What to know |url=https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/nation/2023/12/28/ohio-social-media-parental-notification-act-explained/72051227007/ |access-date=2024-02-09 |website=The Columbus Dispatch |language=en-US |issn=1074-097X}}{{Cite web |last=Szilagy |first=Sarah |date=2023-06-12 |title=Social media companies may soon have to seek parental consent for children’s accounts |url=https://www.nbc4i.com/news/politics/social-media-companies-may-soon-have-to-seek-parental-consent-for-childrens-accounts/ |access-date=2024-02-09 |website=WCMH-TV |language=en-US}}
= Controversies =
Many critics of the bill saw it as a way to stop minors using the platforms for educational reasons and political activism and to limit free speech of minors and violate the privacy of users.{{Cite web |last=Blackwell |first=Carmen |date=2024-01-15 |title=The Social Media Parental Notification Act: Ohio's new social media law heads to court |url=https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/politics/ohio-new-social-media-law-heads-to-court/95-c59164d5-0f4b-43f5-8944-840257848294 |access-date=2024-02-09 |website=WKYC |language=en-US}} On 9 January 2024, the Ohio court blocked the bill from going into effect calling for a temporary restraining order on it,{{Cite web |last=Keagy |first=Kimberly |date=2024-01-09 |title=Ohio’s social media parental law blocked by judge |url=https://www.wsaz.com/2024/01/09/ohios-social-media-parental-law-blocked-by-judge/ |access-date=2024-02-09 |website=WSAZ-TV |language=en}} this was after NetChoice sued the governor of Ohio saying the bill violated the first amendment,{{Cite web |last=Sharman |first=Nathan |date=2024-01-05 |title=Social media giants sue Ohio over new social media parental act |url=https://spectrumnews1.com/oh/columbus/news/2024/01/05/new-social-media-law-in-ohio |access-date=2024-02-09 |website=Spectrum News |language=en}} fourteenth amendment,{{Cite web |last=Riley |first=Tonya |date=2024-01-09 |title=Judge Temporarily Halts Ohio Kids’ Social Media Access Law (2) |url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/privacy-and-data-security/judge-halts-ohio-kids-social-media-access-bill |access-date=2024-02-09 |website=Bloomberg Law}} and United States federal law.{{Cite web |last=Szilagy |first=Sarah |date=2024-01-05 |title=Internet freedom group sues to block Ohio’s social media parental consent law |url=https://www.nbc4i.com/news/politics/internet-freedom-groups-sues-to-block-ohios-social-media-parental-consent-law/ |access-date=2024-02-09 |website=WCMH-TV |language=en-US}} On 12 February, 2024, Judge Algenon L. Marbley granted NetChoice a preliminary injunction preventing the act from becoming law.{{Cite web |last=Donaldson |first=Sarah |date=2024-02-14 |title=Ohio's social media age law halted by federal judge |url=https://www.wosu.org/2024-02-12/ohios-parental-permission-law-for-social-media-put-on-further-pause |access-date=2024-02-17 |website=WOSU-TV |language=en}} It's been completely blocked by the Judge Algenon L. Marbley stating that the need for parental permission was an undue burden on the rights of platform users.{{Cite web |last=Robertson |first=Nick |date=2024-02-13 |title=Federal judge blocks Ohio law requiring parental consent for social media use |url=https://thehill.com/policy/technology/4454087-federal-judge-blocks-ohio-law-requiring-parental-consent-for-social-media-use/ |access-date=2024-05-13 |website=The Hill |language=en-US}}
On 16 April 2025, the law was permanently enjoined.[https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/politics/2025/04/16/judge-permanently-blocks-ohios-parental-consent-law-for-social-media/82311878007/ Judge permanently blocks Ohio's parental consent law for social media]