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Meta, X, and Snap Inc. are signaling support for a South Dakota bill requiring age verification for users attempting to download applications onto their phones, tablets, and computers.
The South Dakota Senate Judiciary Committee is set to hear several age verification measures on Tuesday, including Senate Bill 180, which will “require age verification before an individual may access an application from an online application store.”
In a joint letter obtained by Fox News Digital, Meta, Snap Inc., and X told the state’s Senate Judiciary Committee members, chair, and vice chair that the bill is the “best solution to support families.”
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An age-verification login screen is seen on a mobile device in this illustration photo. (Photo by STR/NurPhoto via Getty Images / Getty Images)
“Parents want a simple, manageable way to verify their child’s age and review the apps their teens want to download. The most sensible and effective place for age verification is at the OS/app store level,” the letter states.
The three companies suggest that the bill would simplify the age verification process for parents, ensure privacy and security, and be “supportive of teens.”
Rather than forcing parents to complete “cumbersome and repetitive” age verification steps across apps, the app store can serve as a hub for verifying their kids, according to the letter.
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The Meta logo is seen at the Vivatech show in Paris, France, June 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus / AP Newsroom)
Meta, Snap Inc. and X also claim that requiring an age check in one secure location limits the number of times and places a user has to share personal information, such as an ID or credit card, thereby reducing privacy risks, including identity theft and phishing scams.
“We all want young people to be supported and protected online,” the letter continues. “Parents want a one-stop shop to verify their child’s age before they download apps. The best way to achieve this is for policymakers in South Dakota to require a simple, secure, industry-wide solution at the OS/app store level that puts parents in charge.”
Nicole Lopez, Meta’s Director of Youth Safety Policy, will testify before the South Dakota Senate Judiciary hearing and vocalize support for Senate Bill 180. In October, she previously testified before the state’s Study Committee on Artificial Intelligence and Regulation of Internet Access by Minors.
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A joint letter on SB 180 sent by Meta, X and Snap Inc.
A month earlier, Meta introduced Instagram Teen Accounts, a system with built-in protections that allows parents to limit who can contact teens and the content they see. Teens under 16 need a parent’s permission to change any settings that may decrease content restrictions.
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These moves came after the CEOs of Meta, TikTok, X, Snap, and Discord testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee in a January 2024 hearing on Capitol Hill. The hearing centered around the question of what liability and responsibility the platforms should bear if they knowingly or unknowingly host harmful content, specifically targeting or exploiting minors.
Since then, several states, including Florida, have passed laws related to age verification, while others have been shot down over First Amendment violation concerns.
Australia also recently outright banned teens under 16 from using social media apps.
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