Kemp signs bill requiring kids to have parental permission to join social media [Video]

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed a flurry of bills into law aimed at how the state’s children use social media and the internet.

On Tuesday, Kemp signed Senate Bill 351 which requires children younger than 16 to have their parents’ explicit permission to create social media accounts. Companies would be required to verify users’ ages by July 1, 2025. 

Officials say the law’s primary aim is to combat cyberbullying and address concerns surrounding youth mental health in relation to social media use.

“We cannot continue to sit by and do nothing as young Georgians develop addictions and disorder and suffer at the hands of online antagonists,” Kemp said.

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Several other states, including Louisiana, Arkansas, Ohio and Utah passed laws last year requiring parental consent for children to use social media. Laws have currently been blocked by courts in Arkansas, California and Ohio. NetChoice, a trade group of online businesses, …