According to Reuters -- Utah Governor Spencer Cox, two laws are intended to restrict social media use by minors, becoming the first U.S. state to require parental permission for anyone under 18 to use such platforms as Instagram, TikTok and Facebook.
The bills, passed by Utah's Republican-controlled legislature earlier this month, are intended to make it easier to sue social media companies for damages.
Social media and its impact on children is the subject of a growing national debate in the United States, where service providers are protected from liability over their content under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.
Cox, a Republican, said in a message on Twitter that we are no longer willing to let social media companies harm the mental health of our youth.
The bills, which the tech industry opposes, require all users to submit age verification before opening a social media account. Minors under the age of 18 seeking an exception would need permission from a parent.