A federal judge has partially blocked a Texas law that would have required social media companies to filter content for minors, just days before it was set to take effect. The Securing Children Online Through Parental Empowerment (SCOPE) Act, signed into law last year, faced a last-minute injunction on Friday, August 30.
As reported by The Verge, Judge Robert Pitman issued a ruling that prevents the implementation of the law’s “monitoring and filtering” requirements, citing concerns about their threat to online speech. The judge criticized the vague language used in the law, noting that terms like “promoting,” “glorifying,” and “substance abuse” were undefined and potentially politically charged.
The SCOPE Act aimed to impose special rules for users under 18, including restrictions on data collection, targeted advertising, and financial transactions without parental consent. Most controversially, it required services to prevent minors from exposure to “harmful material,” including content related to suicide, self-harm, and substance abuse.
While some provisions of the law remain intact, such as age verification for sites with significant adult content, the content filtering requirements have been halted. Judge Pitman pointed out the inconsistency of applying these restrictions only to social media platforms, noting that a teenager could read about controversial topics in books but not discuss them on social media.
The ruling is part of a broader trend of legal challenges to state-level internet regulations. Similar laws in California, Arkansas, Ohio, and Mississippi have also faced judicial scrutiny.
For now, the injunction allows Texas teens to continue using social media platforms without the implementation of sweeping content filters. However, the legal battle over online content moderation and child safety is far from over. We’ll likely see similar battles in court frequently.
Featured image credits: AI-generated / Microsoft Designer
Dwayne Cubbins
345 Posts
For nearly a decade, I've been deciphering the complexities of the tech world, with a particular passion for helping users navigate the ever-changing tech landscape. From crafting in-depth guides that unlock your phone's hidden potential to uncovering and explaining the latest bugs and glitches, I make sure you get the most out of your devices. And yes, you might occasionally find me ranting about some truly frustrating tech mishaps.
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