A new bill passed by Utah’s legislature aims to require app stores to verify the age and identity of all users, including adults, and is currently awaiting signature by Governor Spencer Cox. This move comes after a similar bill was signed into law last year, only to be blocked by a federal judge due to concerns over First Amendment rights.

The underlying intention of this legislation appears to be limiting young people’s access to social media. Governor Cox has been vocal about his concerns regarding teenagers’ use of social media, having previously attempted to ban TikTok in his state. He argued that the app is intentionally designed to be addictive for teens, a criticism that could be applied to most social media platforms targeting various demographics.

Globally, governments have been seeking to regulate social media use among teenagers, citing its impact on early childhood development and its role in bullying. For instance, Australia recently implemented one of the world’s strictest internet regulations, banning children under 16 from using social media. Although enforcement may be challenging, the UK’s Online Safety Act mandates online platforms to protect children from age-inappropriate content.

Proponents of such laws argue that since teenagers are already restricted from accessing harmful products like alcohol and cigarettes, social media should also be limited to adults with more developed brains. The U.S. Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, suggested that social media platforms should include warning labels about potential mental health risks for adolescents. However, it’s also acknowledged that many young people benefit from social media, such as finding community and belonging, as seen in trends like TikTok’s #BookTok.

A significant concern among critics of these laws is the threat they pose to individual privacy, as they require all users, including adults, to identify themselves to access platforms. Recent implementations of ID checks on adult websites in states like Florida, Texas, and Kentucky have led to sites like Pornhub ceasing operations in those areas to protect user privacy.

The 2015 hack of Ashley Madison, which exposed users’ personal information, highlights the potential dangers of such laws. Many individuals have valid reasons for not wanting to share their personal data with websites. Broad laws targeting “adult content” could be used to suppress websites that a government dislikes, infringing on individuals’ rights to express themselves anonymously.

According to Robert Singleton, Senior Director of Government Relations at the Chamber of Progress, “Utah already passed a similar social media-focused bill that was rightfully blocked by the courts. The same outcome is likely here. This bill invades everyone’s privacy, forcing even adults to share sensitive information just to use their devices, and instead of making the internet safer, it introduces new risks and unintended harm.”

Even if these laws withstand legal challenges, they might prove as ineffective as Prohibition, which drove alcohol underground. Similarly, age verification laws could push pornography into darker, unregulated corners of the internet, potentially making it more dangerous for both teenagers and adults. If restrictions on social media use by teens are necessary, the decision should ideally be left to parents.