Texas
Texas recently passed one of the country’s most expansive online age-gating laws to date. The law, called the Securing Children Online through Parental Empowerment, forces “digital services providers” to explicitly gain the consent of a parent or guardian before opening an account for any user under the age of 18. Though the law was passed with social media in mind, the definition of digital service providers is so broad it could theoretically apply to nearly any online service that requires users who create accounts.
Parents or guardians are granted vast power over young users’ data as part of the law. Once they’ve granted consent, parents can review and download personal identifying information associated with the minor and likewise request its deletion. They can also request service providers ban targeted advertising toward the minor in question and prevent them from making online purchases.
