Anyone younger than 18 trying to sneakily go on TikTok or play Fortnite without their parents’ permission will now be out of luck in Louisiana. The Bayou State’s lawmakers passed a bill unanimously on Thursday to curb minors’ access to social media, requiring sites to ask for parental consent to allow young people to sign up for accounts. Parents can also cancel terms-of-service contracts on their kids’ existing accounts under the new bill. Not only does the measure apply to popular social platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, but it extends to multiplayer games and video-sharing apps like YouTube, Fortnite, and Roblox. The bill comes on the heels of a recent advisory from U.S. surgeon general about the dangers of social media and joins legislation from other states like Utah and California targeting social media and minors. If Louisiana’s governor signs the bill, it will take effect Aug. 1 of next year.
Read it at The New York Times
