## Ohio’s Parental Consent Law for Social Media Blocked by Federal Judge
A federal judge has permanently blocked Ohio’s Social Media Parental Notification Act, a law that would have required children under 16 to obtain parental consent before using social media platforms. US District Court Judge Algenon Marbley ruled on Wednesday that the law is unconstitutional, citing violations of the First Amendment.
The Ohio law, signed in 2023 and slated to take effect on January 15th, 2024, was immediately challenged by NetChoice, a tech industry advocacy group. NetChoice successfully obtained a temporary restraining order earlier this year, preventing its initial implementation. This latest ruling permanently prevents the law from being enforced.
In his decision, Judge Marbley emphasized the importance of balancing the rights of children to freedom of speech with the rights of parents to guide their upbringing, stating, “This case resides at the intersection of two unquestionable rights: the rights of children to ‘a significant measure of’ freedom of speech and expression under the First Amendment, and the rights of parents to direct the upbringing of their children free from unnecessary governmental intrusion.”
This victory for NetChoice follows a pattern of legal challenges against similar state laws aimed at regulating children’s access to online content. The group recently achieved a permanent block on Arkansas’s age verification law and secured a preliminary injunction against California’s online child safety law. They have also filed a lawsuit challenging Maryland’s Kids Code.
Chris Marchese, director of litigation for NetChoice, highlighted the broader implications of the Ohio ruling. “The decision confirms that the First Amendment protects both websites’ right to disseminate content and Americans’ right to engage with protected speech online, and policymakers must respect constitutional rights when legislating,” he said in a statement. The decision underscores the ongoing legal battles surrounding online content regulation and the balance between child safety and freedom of speech.