New Tennessee Law Will Require Parental Consent for Minors to Use Social Media
A recent House Bill signed by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee will require social media companies to verify parental consent prior to allowing minors to create accounts on their platforms.
House Bill 1891 - 'The Protecting Children from Social Media Act'
House Bill 1891 was first introduced in January of this year. The purpose of the bill is to require social media companies to verify the age of anyone who attempts to create an account, and would require verification of express parental consent for those individuals who are under the age of 18.
This bill requires the social media company to verify the express parental consent for the minor to become or continue as an account holder if the individual is a minor. A social media company must prohibit a minor from becoming an account holder, or continuing as an account holder, unless the social media company has the express consent of the minor's parent to allow the minor to become or continue as an account holder.
House Bull 1891 Signed By Governor Bill Lee on May 2, 2024
After a couple of revisions, the bill passed both the Senate and the House, before making its way to the governor's desk where it was signed on Thursday, May 2, 2024. In addition to prohibiting minors from creating social media accounts without parental consent, the bill also will require social media companies to create a means of parental controls within their platforms.
Now that the House Bill1891 has been signed by Governor Lee, it will go into effect beginning January 1, 2025.
These 40 Children are Currently Missing in Tennessee - Have You Seen Them?
- Parental abductions
- Children considered at-risk
- Those who've left home on their own
- Individuals who meet the criteria for AMBER
- Endangered Child
- Other types of cases in which publicity may prove helpful in locating them
Gallery Credit: Kat Mykals
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