Rep. Chis Stewart (R–Utah) last week introduced a bill that would require social media platforms to verify the age of every registered user and prohibit registering children younger than 16. But the bill would serve neither the interests of young teenagers nor adults.
H.R. 821, which Stuart introduced in the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, requires platforms to verify age using government identification, such as a birth certificate or a driver's license. The bill would apply to any platform that allows users to make accounts for posting, sharing, or viewing user-generated content (UGC). In addition, to be covered, a platform's primary purpose must be the dissemination of UGC.
