A federal judge on Thursday issued a temporary injunction against an Arkansas law that compelled social media companies to verify users’ ages and mandated parental consent for minors to create accounts. The law was scheduled to take effect on Friday but has faced legal challenges.
The tech industry trade group NetChoice had previously filed a lawsuit in June, asserting that the Arkansas law violated users’ First Amendment rights and imposed burdensome obligations on digital platforms. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Brooks, while granting NetChoice’s request for a preliminary injunction, expressed significant doubts about the law’s constitutionality and effectiveness.
Judge Brooks stated that the law “is not targeted to address the harms it has identified, and further research is necessary before the State may begin to construct a regulation that is narrowly tailored to address the harms that minors face due to prolonged use of certain social media.”
This Arkansas law is part of a broader trend at the state level aimed at restricting or banning minors’ access to social media platforms due to concerns that these platforms may contribute to mental health issues among younger users.
Thursday’s ruling represents a setback for these efforts, which have encountered strong opposition from tech industry groups like NetChoice and civil liberties advocates. They argue that many of these measures infringe on users’ free speech rights.
Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin expressed disappointment over the injunction and vowed to continue defending the law, citing the importance of protecting children’s interests.
Chris Marchese, director of NetChoice’s Litigation Center, welcomed the ruling and expressed anticipation that the law would eventually be permanently struck down. NetChoice’s membership includes tech giants such as Amazon, Google, and Meta.
In a related development on the same day, another federal judge blocked a separate Texas law that required websites to verify users’ ages to prevent minors from accessing pornographic content. This law faced opposition from free speech advocates and the adult film industry.