US to bring in law prohibiting children aged 12 or lower from joining social media: All you need to know

The United States may soon enforce a law disallowing children of 12 years or younger from using social media platforms. As per the bipartisan Bill, dubbed Protecting Kids on Social Media Act, no platform will permit a user to log in or interact with the content or other users unless they are at least 13 years of age. Introduced in late April 2023, the Bill brings together various safeguards suggested for children online like age verification and parental consent, and further talks about providing individuals with "a secure digital identification credential" under a 'Pilot Program.’ Why it matters: Globally, the issue of protecting children from online harms is becoming a hot topic. In the US there are laws like the NUDGE Act or California’s age-appropriate design code that try to provide some protections for children against such harms. However, this Act specifically looks at protecting children from harms on social media platforms. The legislation works as a good reference for Indian law-markers who are finalising the Digital India Act that seeks to provide online users with necessary protections – including children. It will be useful for experts to take a look at this Bill and also weigh the pros and cons of new initiatives like the Pilot Program mentioned in this Act. Salient features of the Protecting Kids on Social Media Act As per the document, the Act shall take effect a year after the date of enactment. Regulating use of teens’ personal data for advertising The Bill states that…