Texas House passes bill banning minors from social media

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(Photo illustration by Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

AUSTIN, Texas - A bill banning minors from using social media platforms passed the Texas House on Wednesday and now heads to the Senate.

House Bill 186 would require social media companies to verify a user's age when they sign up for an account. The House voted 116-25 Wednesday to pass the bill on a third reading.

What they're saying:

"I believe that this is the modern-day cigarette," Rep. Jared Patterson (R-Frisco) said. "I think that we are going to wake up at some point in this country and realize what we have done to an entire generation of kids that are on this highly-addictive product called social media."

Patterson, who authored the bill, said it addresses concerns about children being exposed to harmful content or dangerous behaviors on social media and that having stricter age verification can help protect children's safety and privacy online.

"A recent study documented suicides have increased by 91% for boys and by 167% for girls, while self-harm, eating disorders, and other mental health issues are skyrocketing as well. This is all in direct correlation to more and more young people gaining access to harmful social media platforms," Patterson said. "I am so proud to take a huge leap forward today on behalf of all Texas children with the passage of HB 186 today, a bill which prohibits young people on social media. This is the first and most significant step made to protect our kids from the most dangerous product they have legal access to in Texas."

The other side:

Critics of the bill argue that it's an invasion of the privacy of adult users.

"What about the concern that this is helping these social media companies collect even more data on us?," Rep. Erin Zweiner said.

Patterson said that most people have already given that information willingly.

Penalties

Under the bill, social media companies would be required to delete a child's account at the request of a parent or guardian.

Companies that do not verify age or do not remove accounts could face penalties from the Texas Attorney General's Office. Violations would be sent to the Consumer Protection Division as a deceptive trade practice.

Children's Online Privacy Protection Act

The backstory:

The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act was passed at the federal level in 1998.

COPPA established a regulatory baseline of 13 years old for online accounts and gave parents ways to control information collected about their children.

Lawmakers argue that COPPA is no longer enough in the modern online landscape.