Wisconsin Bill Proposes Age Verification And Parental Permission For Social Media Accounts

Republican Rep. David Steffen has introduced a bill in Wisconsin that would require social media companies to verify the age of users in the state and obtain parental permission for minors to open accounts. The legislation also prohibits children under 18 from accessing their accounts between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. unless parents opt out of these requirements.

Steffen's proposal comes as lawmakers nationwide seek to restrict children's access to social media. Many states, including Wisconsin, have recently banned TikTok from state-owned devices with bipartisan support. In January, Wisconsin's Democratic Governor Tony Evers banned the popular video-sharing app.

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Steffen announced his intention to introduce stricter measures for all social media platforms last month. In an April statement, he expressed concern over the easy access social media companies, advertisers, and predators have to children, which he believes impacts their health and well-being. He thinks it is the responsibility of parents and guardians to protect children online, but current conditions are making it difficult to do so.

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According to the bill provided by Rep. David Steffen to The Associated Press, social media platforms would have to verify the age of Wisconsin residents with accounts created since 2019 and obtain parental permission for minors to open new accounts or access existing ones within 21 days of the law taking effect. Parents would have full access to their child's history, and platforms failing to comply could face a fine of $100 per day for each account in violation. Additionally, the bill requires social media platforms to implement safeguards for minors, such as limiting data sharing and advertising on youth accounts.

For the bill to become law, it would need approval from both chambers of the Republican-controlled Legislature and a signature from Democratic Governor Tony Evers. Evers' spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment on the matter.

Steffen said he modeled the bill after a similar law passed in Utah in March, which has raised questions about enforceability and faces potential legal challenges. Last month, Arkansas lawmakers passed a bill based on the Utah legislation, which could serve as another test of social media limits for children.

Other Wisconsin lawmakers have also expressed concern about social media companies, with Democratic U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin, proposing a bipartisan bill in March to allow the Commerce Department to regulate and potentially ban platforms. Republican U.S. Representative Mike Gallagher, who chairs a House subcommittee on China, has criticized TikTok and pushed for more app regulation amid growing concerns over Chinese surveillance.