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New TX law requires parental consent for social media
A new state law is requiring social media companies to do more to protect children. However, a judge limited how much of the SCOPE Act can be enforced.
DALLAS - A Texas law requiring parental consent for children to create a social media account is now in effect.
The SCOPE Act is part of a growing wave by lawmakers in multiple states to give more power to parents when it comes to their children’s digital footprint.
But companies like Meta, which runs Facebook and Instagram, say there are already protections in place for young people.
Gov. Greg Abbott signed the SCOPE Act, or House Bill 18, in 2023.
Parts of the law took effect on Sunday.
(Photo illustration by Chesnot/Getty Images)
"Parents would be given the authority to consent to the platforms their children interact with online," said North Texas Republican Rep. Shelby Slawson, who authored the bill.
In a committee hearing last year, Slawson described wide-ranging threats from unmonitored social media use, including cyberbullying and child predators.
"A Texas teenager was rescued from a shed in North Carolina where she was being held by a predator who allegedly lured her away by a chat app," she said.
But as it stands now, the law would not directly flag those types of connections.
Last week, a judge blocked the provisions that would force social media companies to filter out harmful content.
The big tech companies are still challenging those parts of the law.
The judge did leave the requirement for parental consent for children creating an account and the power to supervise their online activities.
"While we strongly agree with the underlying intent of the bill, we oppose the bill as filed," said Antigone Davis, a Meta spokeswoman.
It is not clear if the social media companies will comply with the new Texas requirements.
In the same hearing last year, Meta testified that Facebook and Instagram already have safeguards in place.
"We’ve built over 30 tools to help young people be safe and have a positive experience on our platform," Davis said. "We have parental supervision tools, set time limits, and the ability for parents to see who their child is following."
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Meta testified that accounts held by teens use AI to screen for fake birthdates being entered.
The company also said it blocks things like targeted ads for a wide range of topics.
"13-17 years old, there’s a gap missing. And I think there is an opportunity for the Texas Legislature to step in and fix that gap," said Dr. Brian Dixon, a child psychiatrist with the Texas Medical Association.
Dr. Dixon testified about the mental health impact he’s seen from social media in his younger patients.
"Now kids have access to all things all the time, and there is no filter. They have no perspective to when they are being advertised and when they are not," he said.
Other states have tried to pass similar legislation and it has been blocked by the courts.