U.S. appeals court lets Ohio require parental consent for under-16 social media accounts

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit ruled that Ohio can enforce a law requiring social media companies to obtain parental consent before users under 16 can access their platforms. The measure also mandates age verification for services that can reasonably be expected to be accessed by children under 16, and it took effect in January 2024 after being enacted by the state Legislature in 2023. A lower-court order that had paused enforcement at the request of NetChoice was overturned, with the panel finding no violation of the First Amendment. The decision increases compliance demands for platforms including Instagram and YouTube, adding pressure on how they sign up and retain younger users.