The U.S. Supreme Court on Aug. 14 declined to block a Mississippi law restricting minors’ access to social media platforms.
The court did not explain its new ruling in NetChoice LLC v. Fitch.
NetChoice, a trade association for internet companies, filed an emergency application last month after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit lifted a federal district court’s injunction that shielded several platforms from the law’s requirements. NetChoice argues the state law violates First Amendment free speech protections.
Nine platforms that belong to the association had been shielded by the district court’s now-suspended ruling. They are Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, Pinterest, Snapchat, Nextdoor, Reddit, and Dreamwidth.
The law, known as House Bill 1126, requires the platforms to make a reasonable effort to verify the age of users.
Under the law, the websites are not allowed to let a minor have a social media account unless he or she has parental consent. Websites also have to make reasonable efforts to prevent minors from accessing social media platforms.
However, Justice Brett Kavanaugh filed a statement with the high court’s new order saying that NetChoice would likely succeed on the merits of the case at a later date.
Kavanaugh said, “enforcement of the Mississippi law would likely violate its members’ First Amendment rights under this Court’s precedents.”
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