Mississippi social media age verification law cleared to take effect

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: WAPT-TV Jackson, MS

Updated: 11:03 PM CDT Jul 20, 2025


Mississippi's social media age verification law is now set to take effect.

A federal appeals court has cleared the way for the state to require social media platforms to verify users' ages and obtain parental consent for anyone under 18.

Supporters of the law say it will help protect children from online dangers, while tech industry groups argue it violates privacy and free speech rights.

The law was blocked earlier this year, but the court’s new ruling allows enforcement to begin as legal challenges continue.

Read more: https://www.wapt.com/article/mississippi-social-media-age-verification-law-cleared-to-take-effect/65458373

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Short article at post time.

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[hueymahl]

1. 100% Agree with this

Social media platforms engineer their software to addict you, and young minds are particularly susceptible. The court rightly saw through the bs free speech claims, at least as it applies to minors. I am normally a free-speech maximalist, but there is a huge difference between kids and adults.

[angrychair]

6. Could not disagree more

It is NOT the job of government to be the parent and I do not want the government parenting my children.
I'm old enough to remember the whole "nanny state" freak out over any perceived government intrusion into personal lives but suddenly they are all in for the government controlling almost every aspect of our daily lives.

When it comes to TV, books, movies and the Internet, we should not be eroding our rights and giving up control of our access to the Internet, young or old. Parents should be parents and control that if that is what they want.
What is defined as "Social media"? Many online games have internal chat features.
Is the next step that the government will only allow you to install approved games and software on your PC?
This sounds like a way for the government to monitor and control you social media accounts.
No. Everything about this is wrong.

[cstanleytech]

8. Exactly, it's no different than banning children from owning and using cell phones to communicate.

Then if the kids do use a phone you can sue the maker of the phone for not verifying the age of the person using it.

[pcdb]

11. Do you support age restrictions on smoking?

Or should that be left up to the parents.

There's loads of researching showing the harm social media has on children. I have no problem regulating big tech the same way we regulate big tobacco.

[angrychair]

13. No

Regulating the tobacco industry and regulations on access to information are completely different things.
I get that social media can be toxic, I've lived it, but then parents should be parents and manage their kids access to this stuff and talk to them about it.

We need mandatory critical thinking classes starting at 12 yrs old through graduation.
We need social media operators to actually manage their website and adhere to their on TOS.

That is what we need

[hueymahl]

14. Its really just giving parents a tool

No different than preventing children from access porn or alcohol. Parents can facilitate that for their child if they want by using their adult credentials. Similarly, if a parent wants to override the app and allow their kid to access social media, that is their choice.

There will always be work arounds, just like kids view porn and consume alcohol. But at least there will be tools to help parents.

[Srkdqltr]

2. How do they verify age ?

[Bernardo de La Paz]

3. Surveillance state for magas to be surveilled. They don't know it yet that's what it means. . . . nt

[cstanleytech]

4. And if the sites are located overseas out of the jurisdiction?

[mdbl]

5. Does this include Untruth Social?

Or will Dump just break the law like usual.

[Torchlight]

7. It's been state law in TX for about a year or so by now

I can't really say I've noticed any real changes or hoops to jump through as a result, but I'm more concerned about age verification often requiring users to submit sensitive personal information.

Requiring users to verify our identity will deter individuals (especially vulnerable groups like LGBTQ+ youth and dissidents) from sharing views or seeking support due to fear of being identified or monitored. Or worse.

[angrychair]

9. Exactly

Do you know what the Texas threshold and method is for age verification?
Does it create the framework for Texas to track their usage or what apps they are using and for how long?

For a state that bitched for decades about the risks of the "nanny state" telling us what we can and can't do to trying to control when what people access is one hell of a swing.

[Johnny2X2X]

10. Does DU qualify as social media u see this law?

How are websites going to implement this new functionality?

[LudwigPastorius]

12. Nice try, but most 13-year-olds know more about...

how to evade online restrictions than your average state legislator.