A federal judge has struck down Arkansas’ social media age verification law, ruling it to be a violation of the First Amendment. The law, which was passed in 2017, required social media platforms to verify that users are at least 13 years old before allowing access to their services. This was part of an effort to protect children online.
However, Judge James Moody Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas ruled that the law was too broad and unconstitutionally burdened the free speech rights of adults. He stated that while protecting children online is a legitimate concern, the law went too far by limiting the access of adults to social media platforms.
The judge’s decision was welcomed by civil liberties groups who argued that the law was an infringement on the rights of adults to access information and communicate online freely. They also pointed out that social media platforms already have age verification systems in place to protect children.
Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge has stated that she plans to appeal the ruling, arguing that the law was necessary to protect children from the dangers of the internet. She expressed disappointment in the judge’s decision and maintained that the law was a valid way to address the issue of online safety for minors.
In the meantime, the social media age verification law in Arkansas remains unenforceable. It is unclear how this ruling will impact similar laws in other states that have implemented age verification requirements for social media platforms.
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