COLUMBIA, S.C. — In South Carolina, two bills are under consideration to regulate social media companies and enhance protection for underage users.
The South Carolina Social Media Regulation Act proposes mandatory parental consent, age verification, and restrictions on activities for minor account holders.
The move comes as concerns over user privacy, misinformation, and the potential negative effects on teens' mental health continue to grow.
“There are few things as important for us up here than protecting children,” said the bill’s main sponsor Rep. Weston Newton (R-Beaufort County).
Supporters like Patrick Kelly from the Palmetto State Teachers Association and a teacher at Blythewood High School told lawmakers he’s seen the negative effects of social media firsthand.
“Over the course of my teaching career I've seen unfiltered Internet access contribute to increased distractions and decreased sleep for students, two factors contributing to diminished academic performance,” said Kelly.
The legislation suggests time restrictions on minor account holders from 10:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m., with customizable options for parents.
However, Internet Trade Company NetChoice opposes, citing potential First Amendment concerns.
“Essentially what the state has done is violated the First Amendment by deciding who is allowed to speak and who is not allowed to speak– that’s called speaker-based discrimination then you get into content-based discrimination,” said Vice President Carl Szabo. “The only way to institute age verification for anyone under the age of 18 is to institute age verification for every South Carolina citizen.”
The Child Online Safety Act aims to prohibit minors from accessing pornography websites.
It is supported by State Attorney General Alan Wilson.
“South Carolina absolutely needs the same type of virtual bouncer, if you will, standing up the door of every website to prevent people who are underage from going and see the same thing on a website that they would be prohibited from seeing in a brick and mortar building,” said Wilson.
Both bills currently under consideration in South Carolina are not unique to the state. Other states have already passed similar legislation, particularly those requiring age verification on pornographic websites. In various instances, court challenges to comparable laws in states like Louisiana, Texas, and Utah have faced setbacks, with legal efforts to overturn the legislation proving unsuccessful so far.
“If a parent showed up to an adult entertainment venue and the bouncer stopped the 12-year-old, we wouldn’t want the 12-year-old to go in, even with parental consent,” said Kelly.
In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General issued a public health advisory highlighting the potential impact of excessive social media use on children.
According to the report, a staggering 95 percent of children aged 13 to 17 are active users of social media platforms. One-third of them reported using these platforms constantly.
