Judge blocks Utah’s social media law
Sep 11, 2024, 4:00 PM | Updated: 4:54 pm
A judge has blocked the Utah Minor Protection in Social Media Act, Utah's social media law that would have taken effect on October 1, 2024. (Chris McGrath /Getty Images)
(Chris McGrath /Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY — A judge has blocked Utah’s social media law. The Utah Minor Protection in Social Media Act would have taken effect on October 1, 2024.
The law would have required social media companies to verify user’s ages. It would also place restrictions on accounts owned by Utah children.
Related: Utah’s social media child protection law put on hold
Social media companies, including TikTok and Meta, teamed up and formed a group called “NetChoice.” It is leading a lawsuit against the state. NetChoice said the bill is well-intentioned but violates the constitutional rights of all Utahns. The group also claims the bill strips away parental rights.
In a memorandum decision filed today in Utah District court, Chief Judge Robert J. Shelby agreed that the law violates First Amendment rights and that the state didn’t show why the law should override the First Amendment.
Related: Utah’s social media law raising questions about parent, teen rights
Bill sponsor Rep. Jordan Teusher, R-South Jordan said he’s disappointed in the judge’s hold. However, he’s also confident it will eventually be found constitutional.
The block will last while lawsuits between NetChoice and the state of Utah are decided. NetChoice Litigation Center Director Chris Marchese told the Deseret News that the court’s decision shows how flawed the law is and if enforced would endanger the very people it’s meant to protect.
In a post on Instagram, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said he knew that passing such a law could be “a long battle.” But he said it’s “a battle worth waging.”
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In an email, a representative of NetChoice called the ruling “a major victory for free speech and parental rights.”
“This marks the sixth time a court has blocked similar state laws across the country, reinforcing the message that these unconstitutional restrictions will not stand,” the email from NetChoice also read.
