Louisiana’s Social Media Age Verification Law Blocked by Judge

Key Insights

• Law Overview: A Louisiana law aimed at age verification for social media platforms has been blocked by a judge.
• Judicial Ruling: The law was deemed both “over- and under-inclusive” by Judge John W. deGravelles.
• Industry Response: NetChoice, a tech industry lobbying group, celebrated the ruling as a victory against unconstitutional regulations.
• Privacy Concerns: The law was criticized for posing a “massive privacy risk” to users in Louisiana.

A Louisiana law that would have required social media platforms to verify the ages of their users has been blocked by a judge. The law, known as the Secure Online Child Interaction and Age Limitation, was passed in 2023 and required Meta, Reddit, Snap, YouTube, Discord, and others to implement age verification and parental control features.

What Did the Judge Rule?

The ruling came just days before the law, which technically took effect over the summer, would have started to be enforced. In his ruling, Judge John W. deGravelles wrote that the law’s “age-verification and parental-consent requirements are both over- and under-inclusive,” and that its definition of “social media platform” was “nebulous.”

The judge’s decision highlighted specific flaws in the law’s formulation, indicating that it failed to adequately address the complexities of age verification on social media platforms.

Who Challenged the Law?

The ruling was a victory for NetChoice, a lobbying group that represents the tech industry and has challenged the growing number of age verification laws around the world. The group had argued that the law was unconstitutional and posed a safety and security risk.

NetChoice’s challenge reflects broader concerns within the tech industry regarding regulatory pressures on social media platforms.

What Are the Privacy Implications?

In a statement following the ruling, the group pointed to the “massive privacy risk” posed by the Louisiana law and others like it. “Louisiana’s law would have done more than chill speech,” Paul Taske, the co-director of NetChoice’s Litigation Center said. “It would have created a massive privacy risk for Louisianans like those playing out in real time in countries without a First Amendment, like the UK.”

This statement underscores the potential consequences of strict age verification laws on user privacy and freedom of expression.

What Is the Attorney General’s Response?

The Louisiana Attorney General’s office didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.