The California Senate has approved SB 976, a bill mandating age verification for social media use, sparking concerns over online anonymity and free speech. Critics argue that this legislation could pose significant threats to privacy, affecting not just Californians but potentially all Americans.
We obtained a copy of the bill for you here.
SB 976 imposes strict regulations on social media interactions for minors. It prohibits notifications during school hours and late at night without parental consent and mandates that social media feeds for minors be presented chronologically rather than algorithmically, again without parental approval. Social media companies can implement these measures only if they have “reasonably determined” the user is not a minor, a definition set to be clarified by the California Attorney General by 2027. Critics fear this could lead to the requirement of sensitive personal information, such as government IDs, for verification.
