Updated May 29th 2025, 13:41 IST
A new bill would make it illegal for anyone under 18 to use major social media sites, even if their parents say it’s okay. Follow:
Social Media Ban for Teens? TikTok, X, Facebook and Snapchat on the Chopping Block in This State | Image:
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Imagine waking up to find that all of the teens in your state can’t get into their TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, or Snapchat. No more posting, scrolling, or messaging. Worse? This is not some digital glitch, it’s the new law. That’s what one US state is about to do.
A new bill would make it illegal for anyone under 18 to use major social media sites, even if their parents say it’s okay.
So, where and what exactly happened?
Texas has passed an online child safety bill that requires Apple and Google to verify users’ ages and get parental consent before minors can download apps from the App Store or the Play Store or make in-app purchases. The law takes effect January 1, 2026.
The issue of age verification is central to this conflict. Apple and Google have clashed with app makers like Meta, Snap, and Match Group over who should be responsible for the age verification.
Texas’s social media ban, House Bill 186, passed the House bipartisanly last week and should pass the state Senate. The bill would ban minors from signing up for accounts on TikTok, X, Facebook, and Snapchat, and age verification would be mand
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