Ohio Kids under 16 are banned from using social media and gaming sites without a parent or guardian’s permission under a new law.
Governor Mike DeWine signed the social media parental notification act in July, but it officially takes effect on January 15.
But what does the law really do? Kids are already under the obligation to do what their parents tell them to, but this new law shifts the burden of policing that away from the parents and onto the social media platforms.
It requires social media outlets like Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube, and TikTok to come up with a way to verify whether or not a user is under 16 and figure out a way to get and verify written consent from the parents.
Most social media platforms require that a child be at least 13 to use them already. This law does not apply to apps or online shopping websites.