Texas efforts to prohibit minors under 18 from accessing social media platforms wane as time narrows due to legislative deadlines
A legislative setback for the proposed social media ban in Texas aimed at safeguarding minors has occurred, with lawmakers failing to pass the measure before the legislative session deadline. The proposal aimed to prohibit children under 18 from creating social media accounts on platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram, and faced opposition from technology trade groups and speech rights advocates [1].
The current stance of Texas Governor Greg Abbott on the social media ban for minors remains undefined, although he has previously supported measures that prioritize children's online safety and privacy [1]. His administration has emphasized the importance of safeguarding children's online presence, having signed into law Senate Bill 2420, which requires app download restrictions and parental consent for children's online activities [1].
The Texas legislature passed the House and partly pushed the comprehensive social media ban (House Bill 186) through Senate stages. However, the bill did not meet a critical deadline in the Senate, leading to its demise for the ongoing legislative session [2][4]. Although Gov. Abbott has yet to publicly express explicit support or opposition to this proposed ban, his stance on app download restrictions indicates a preference for parental controls and age verification mechanisms for social media use [1][4].
The proposed Texas social media ban is part of a broader national and international trend toward regulating children's access to social media platforms due to growing concerns about its impact on mental health [3]. A number of U.S. states, including Texas, have enacted laws to protect minors from the risks of social media by requiring age verification and parental consent. For instance, Florida has limited the use of social media by children under 14, while some other states issue warning labels about mental health risks associated with social media usage [1][2].
Internationally, Australia and other countries have adopted various strategies to regulate children's social media access, with Australia banning social media accounts for individuals under 16 [4]. In contrast, Texas's current legislation focuses on age verification and parental consent but does not encompass an outright ban for minors on social media platforms [1][2][4].
In summary, the proposed social media ban for minors in Texas has experienced a setback, with lawmakers missing a crucial deadline. The stance of Texas Governor Greg Abbott on the matter remains unclear, although he echoes a broader trend of regulating minors' access to social media platforms to address safety and mental health concerns [1][2][4].
References:[1] Texas Tribune (2025) Texas Online Child Protection Bill advances in legislature but faces deadline threathttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/15/texas-online-child-protection-bill-deadline/
[2] Dallas Morning News (2025) Senate committee passes restrictive social media bill for minors in Texashttps://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2025/04/15/senate-committee-passes-restrictive-social-media-bill-for-minors-in-texas/
[3] NPR (2024) Growing numbers of states debate putting age restrictions on some social media siteshttps://www.npr.org/2024/10/14/1152752281/growing-numbers-of-states-want-to-limit-social-media-access-for-young-people
[4] ABC News (2025) Australia to ban social media for children under 16https://abcnews.go.com/International/australia-ban-social-media-children-under-16/story?id=91583230
- The social media ban for minors in Texas, a measure aimed to safeguard children online, faced a legislative setback due to a missed deadline.
- This ban would have prohibited children under 18 from creating accounts on platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram, but garnered opposition from technology and speech rights advocates.
- Texas Governor Greg Abbott's stance on the social media ban remains undefined, although his support for online safety measures suggests a preference for parental controls and age verification mechanisms.
- The debate on regulating minors' access to social media is not limited to Texas; it's a growing trend globally, with countries like Australia already implementing bans on accounts for individuals under 16.
