A federal judge has invalidated an Ohio law that would have mandated parental consent for children under 16 to access social media platforms. On Wednesday, U.S. District Court Judge Algenon Marbley declared the law unconstitutional, citing a violation of the First Amendment.
Ohio’s Social Media Parental Notification Act, signed in 2023, was scheduled to be enacted on January 15, 2024. Nonetheless, NetChoice, an interest group supported by Big Tech, contested the law and successfully secured a temporary restraining order to halt its implementation. The latest ruling permanently blocks the law from taking effect.
Judge Marbley remarked, “This case sits at the crossroads of two undeniable rights: children’s rights to a significant measure of freedom of speech and expression under the First Amendment, and parents’ rights to direct their children’s upbringing without unwarranted government interference.”
Chris Marchese, NetChoice’s director of litigation, stated in an announcement, “The ruling reaffirms that the First Amendment defends both the rights of websites to distribute content and Americans’ rights to interact with protected speech online. Legislators must uphold constitutional rights when creating laws.”
