Governor Spencer Cox signed two measures restricting how easily children in the state can access platforms like TikTok and Twitter, setting the precedent in the U.S.
The new laws require setting up age verification on platforms and that parents approve their minor children's requests to sign up for social media, allowing parents access to those accounts, putting in place designated times that children can be logged onto social media (banning use from 10:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.), and easing the possibility of lawsuits for platforms causing harm.
Utah state Senator Michael McKell (R-25th District), who introduced the bill, said the goal was to protect children.
"As a lawmaker and parent, I believe this bill is the best path forward to prevent our children from succumbing to the negative and sometimes life-threatening effects of social media," he told CNN in a statement.
The legislation comes just a day after TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew was grilled on Capitol Hill, with senators questioning, among other things, the app's safety and security practices and how it impacts the mental wellbeing of children.
Despite passing the regulations, it remains unclear how Utah will enforce them even as social media platforms intend to challenge the laws before implementation in 2024.
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The Federal Reserve cut its key interest rate by a quarter-point Wednesday and projected it would do so twice more this year as concern grows at the central bank about the health of the nation’s labor market. The move is the Fed’s first cut since December and lowered its short-term rate to about 4.1%, down from 4.3%. Fed officials, led by Chair Jerome Powell, had kept their rate unchanged this year as they evaluated the impact of tariffs, tighter immigration enforcement, and other Trump administration policies on inflation and the economy. The only dissenter was Stephen Miran, the recent Trump-appointee.
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