Utah bans under-18s from using social media unless parents consent

Spencer Cox celebrates the signing of two social media regulation bills in Salt Lake City, Utah, on 23 March. Photograph: Trent Nelson/AP

The governor of Utah, Spencer Cox, has signed sweeping social media legislation requiring explicit parental permissions for anyone under 18 to use platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and Facebook. He also signed a bill prohibiting social media companies from employing techniques that could cause minors to develop an “addiction” to the platforms.

The former is the first state law in the US prohibiting social media services from allowing access to minors without parental consent. The state’s Republican-controlled legislature passed both bills earlier this month, despite opposition from civil liberties groups.