Maryville, TN – A new law set to take effect in Tennessee on January 1, 2025, will require children and teens to obtain parental consent before accessing social media platforms. The legislation, which passed with bipartisan support, is aimed at increasing parental control over minors’ online activities and ensuring greater oversight of content viewed by young users.
The law, introduced during the 2024 legislative session, has garnered support from lawmakers across the political spectrum, with both Democrats and Republicans agreeing on the need to protect children from the potential dangers of the internet.
“This is one of those bills that just makes sense. It’s a bipartisan effort to protect our children,” said Representative Sam McKenzie (D-Knoxville), who helped sponsor the bill. “We want to make sure kids aren’t exposed to harmful, age-inappropriate content that’s easily accessible on social media.”
Under the new law, parents will have the authority to approve or deny their child’s access to social media platforms. Additionally, the law will allow parents to set restrictions on how long children can use social media each day, as well as when they can access their accounts. The law is designed to provide greater supervision over children’s digital lives and curb excessive screen time, an issue that many parents have raised in recent years.
Senator Richard Briggs (R-Knoxville) also voiced support for the measure, emphasizing its importance in granting parents more control over their children’s social media usage. “This law puts the power back in the hands of parents, allowing them to protect their children from the dark side of social media and set clear boundaries on their online activities,” Briggs said. “It’s about giving parents the tools they need to ensure their kids are safe online.”
The law is also expected to place responsibility on social media companies to verify the ages of their users and ensure that minors are obtaining parental consent before accessing the platforms. Companies will be required to implement age verification processes, using tools like artificial intelligence and data mining to determine whether a user is a child or an adult.
“With the advancements in AI and data analytics, social media companies already have the capability to verify users’ ages and confirm whether parental consent has been granted,” Senator Briggs explained. “This is an extension of that responsibility.”
The legislation is not without controversy. Critics argue that it could infringe on minors’ rights to freedom of speech and access to information, potentially leading to legal challenges. “There will certainly be lawsuits over this,” said Senator Briggs. “We expect that it will be contested on the grounds of First Amendment rights and the right to free access to information.”
Rep. McKenzie also acknowledged that legal battles were likely, but emphasized that protecting children from harmful content should take precedence. “Some powerful interests want unrestricted access to the internet for everyone, including young children. But we don’t believe that’s in the best interest of our kids,” McKenzie said.
While the law is designed to safeguard children from online risks such as cyberbullying, exposure to explicit content, and online predators, the broader implications of the legislation are still unfolding. Experts on digital privacy and free speech have raised concerns about the potential for overreach and the complexities of enforcing age verification across various platforms.
Regardless, the law’s passage marks a significant step in the ongoing debate over the role of social media in the lives of young people. As the law takes effect in the coming days, it will likely set a precedent for other states grappling with similar concerns about child safety and online content regulation.
The law’s full impact, however, may take years to fully realize, as legal challenges and the evolving landscape of digital technology continue to shape the conversation surrounding social media use and youth protection.
