Cybersecurity Policy Report, Utah Governor Signs Bill to Protect Kids’ Social Media Privacy, (Mar 15, 2024)
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R.) said he signed into law the Utah Minor Protection in Social Media Act, which will require, among other things, social media companies to verify a new account holder’s age using an approved system. The new law takes effect Oct. 1.
SB 194 further requires social media companies to set default privacy settings for minor users to prioritize maximum privacy, including settings that restrict visibility of a minor’s account to only connected accounts; restrict any data collection and sale of data from a Utah minor account holder’s account; disable search engine indexing of Utah minor account holder profiles; and restrict a minor’s ability to utilize direct messaging. The default privacy settings can be changed only after obtaining parental consent, according to bill.
The new law additionally prevents social media companies from collecting and selling data on minors without consent from a verifiable parent or legal guardian.
The bill was sponsored by Sen. Michael McKell (R.).
News: StateLegislation DataPrivacy