Ohio is currently facing a lawsuit from tech group representing TikTok, Meta, X, and Snapchat over its new law restricting social media for its underage users.
Trade group NetChoice filed a federal case against Republican Attorney General Dave Yost to stop the Parental Notification by Social Media Operators Act from taking effect on Jan. 15.
Ohio Law Sets to Impose Parental Supervision on Children's Access to Social Media
The parental act, which was signed last December, seeks to require users under the age of 16 have their parents' permission to create an account on message boards and social media.
Once in effect, social media companies will need to get a parents' or guardians' signed permission to allow minors into their platform.
Ohio touted the new law as a measure to protect children's mental health from social media platforms being "intentionally addictive" and harmful to kids.
NetChoice argued that the Ohio's restriction unconstitutionally hinders free speech as well as overly broad and unclear.
The trade group has filed a similar lawsuit against California and Arkansas. Both of which ended in NetChoice's favor.
Also Read: YouTube, TikTok are the Most Used Social Media Apps Among US Teens
US States Seek to Restrict Social Media Access to Minors
This was not the first time a US state pushed for a law to limit access of underage users to social media like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
Calls for social media restrictions have increased over the past months amid reports of Meta and TikTok being unsafe for children.
Recent court documents that social media platforms have been collecting data from minors for its targeted ads despite the restrictions.
The Federal Trade Commission has already filed a petition to add new changes to the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 amid growing concerns on children's privacy online.
This is not to count of minors being exposed to adult contents that slip through the platforms' automated content filters.
TikTok has recently experienced a series not safe for work pictures hidden in several slide posts being shown in its "For You" page.
Related Article: FTC Pushes for New Regulations to Protect Kid's Data Privacy
