Utah's new social media law means kids need approval from parents

FILE - A 12-year-old boy looks at a smartphone screen on March 16, 2023 in Bath, England. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images) SALT LAKE CITY - Children and teens in Utah would lose access to social media apps such as TikTok if they don’t have parental consent and face other restrictions under a first-in-the-nation law designed to shield young people from the addictive platforms.Two laws signed by Republican Gov.

Spencer Cox Thursday prohibit kids under 18 from using social media between the hours of 10:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m., require age verification for anyone who wants to use social media in the state and open the door to lawsuits on behalf of children claiming social media harmed them.

Collectively, they seek to prevent children from being lured to apps by addictive features and from having ads promoted to them.The companies are expected to sue before the laws take effect in March 2024.The crusade against social media in Utah's Republican-supermajority Legislature is the latest reflection of how politicians’ perceptions of technology companies has changed, including among typically pro-business Republicans.Tech giants like Facebook and Google have enjoyed unbridled growth for over a decade, but amid concerns over user privacy, hate speech, misinformation and harmful effects on teens’ mental health, lawmakers have made Big Tech attacks a rallying cry on the campaign trail and begun trying to rein them in once in office.

Utah’s law was signed on the same day TikTok’s CEO testified before Congress about, among other things, the platform's effects on teenagers’ mental health.But legislation has stalled on the federal level, pushing states to step in.RELATED: How TikTok collects your data, even if you don’t use TikTokOutside.