A tech industry group has filed a lawsuit against Mississippi over a new law mandating age verification for website and digital service users. The group argued that this law would unconstitutionally restrict access to online content for both minors and adults.
FLOWOOD, MISSISSIPPI - NOVEMBER 07: Mississippi incumbent Republican Gov. Tate Reeves speaks to supporters during an election night watch party at The Refuge Hotel & Conference Center on November 07, 2023 in Flowood, Mississippi. Gov. Reeves won reelection against Democratic challenger Brandon Presley, a second cousin of Elvis Presley. (Photo : Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
Challenging New Mississippi Law on Online Age Verification Law
NetChoice has filed a lawsuit against a new Mississippi law that requires users of websites and digital services to verify their age, arguing that it will unconstitutionally restrict online access for both minors and adults.
Legislators claimed that the law aims to protect children from sexually explicit material. It passed the Republican-controlled House and Senate without opposition. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves signed the law on April 30, and it will take effect on July 1.
ABC News reported that NetChoice, whose members include Google, Snap Inc., and Meta, filed the lawsuit in federal court in Jackson. The lawsuit noted that this law requires both minors and adults to verify their ages, potentially by providing personal information or identification, as a condition of accessing and engaging in protected speech.
According to the lawsuit, this infringes on freedom of speech and violates the First Amendment. The lawsuit also claimed that the Mississippi law would override websites' voluntary content-moderation efforts with state-enforced censorship.
It argued that the broad, subjective, and vague categories of speech the law requires websites to monitor and censor could include everything from classic literature, such as "Romeo and Juliet" and "The Bell Jar," to modern media, like pop songs by Taylor Swift.
Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch is the named defendant in the lawsuit. While the attorney general's office has not commented on the ongoing litigation, communications director MaryAsa Lee said they look forward to defending the state's law that gives parents the help they need to protect their children online.
Utah is one of the states being sued by NetChoice over laws that impose strict limits on children's access to social media. In March, Utah Governor Spencer Cox signed revisions to these laws to tighten the oversight of minors' social media usage.
The updated regulations require social media companies to verify users' ages and turn off certain features, such as direct messaging and targeted advertising, on accounts owned by Utah youths. These measures are intended to create a safer online environment for children.
In response to concerns about online security, Utah legislators also removed a controversial requirement that parents consent to their child opening a social media account. Many parents and privacy advocates feared that providing such consent would necessitate entering sensitive data, potentially compromising their online security.
The removal of this requirement reflects a balance between enhancing protections for young users and addressing privacy concerns. NetChoice argued that these regulations infringe on the rights of both minors and adults, leading to legal challenges not only in Utah but in other states with similar laws.
