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Judge blocks Arkansas law on social media age verification
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A federal judge has issued a temporary injunction against an Arkansas law over social media age verification.
The law has compelled social media companies to verify users' ages and required parental consent for minors to create accounts.
Tech industry trade group NetChoice had sued to challenge the law.
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It argued the law violated users' First Amendment rights and imposed overly burdensome requirements on digital platforms.
While expressing reservations about the law's constitutionality and efficacy, US District Court Judge Timothy Brooks granted NetChoice's request for the preliminary injunction.
The judge said the law was not sufficiently targeted to address the identified harms.
He called for further research before constructing a more narrowly tailored regulation.
The Arkansas law, set to take effect, aimed to restrict minors' access to social media due to concerns about its impact on young users' mental health.
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This ruling represents a setback for state-level efforts, facing resistance from tech industry groups and civil liberties advocates.
They contended that these measures infringe on free speech rights.
In response, Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin the injunction made him disappointed.
He said: “I will continue to vigorously defend the law and protect our children, an important interest recognized in the federal judge’s order today.”
Chris Marchese, director of NetChoice's Litigation Center, said they “look forward to seeing the law struck down permanently.”
NetChoice counts major tech companies like Amazon, Google, and Meta among its members.
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