In the next week, the state of Texas may ban social media for anyone under the age of 18. With only a few days left in the legislative session, Austin lawmakers may debate the issue as soon as Tuesday night.
House Bill 186 has already passed the Texas House with large support and recently passed the Senate State Affairs Committee. The next major step before it heads to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk is a vote in the Texas Senate.
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WATCH HEREThe bill would require social media companies to verify the age of their users, likely through a photo of a government-issued ID.
According to committee records, HB 186 is opposed by NetChoice, the industry group representing Instagram and Facebook’s parent company, Meta, as well as TikTok, YouTube’s owner, Google, and X. Earlier this month, more than 200 people testified on the bill, most of them teenagers opposing the idea.
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SIGN UP Morgan McGuire, a content creator with more than 2 million followers across platforms, told lawmakers: “It is evident to me that social media can make a positive and meaningful impact.”
Others were student-athletes looking to earn “Name, Image, and Likeness” money.
“Texas student-athletes will be at a disadvantage to students in other states with social media access because they won’t be able to build their brand,” said William Wied, an Austin student-athlete.
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Still others argued that it’s the parents’ responsibility to monitor their children online.
“Any parent in this room with an iPhone has the ability to lock down their child’s phone in the app store,” said Miguel Perez.
Christian and conservative advocacy groups voiced support for the bill.
“Kids can still be inundated with explicit images and access to other harms like peer bullying, sports betting, and being available to predators online as well,” said Mary Elizabeth Castle from Texas Values.
The bill’s sponsor in the Senate, Corpus Christi Republican Adam Hinojosa, choked up as he argued that the apps are designed to keep users constantly scrolling. Depression, body dysmorphia and anxiety often follow, according to the U.S. Surgeon General.
“We confront the evil before us and boldly say you cannot have our children … I urge, members, your support as lawmakers,” said Sen. Hinojosa.
If passed into law, the ban would be enforced by the Consumer Protection Division of the Texas Attorney General’s Office. Companies would not be allowed to sell or use the information provided for any reason other than age verification.
