Judge Issues Injunction on Utah Social Media Law

A federal judge has blocked Utah's new law requiring social media platforms to verify users' ages and place restrictions on minors' accounts, citing likely First Amendment violations. Judge Robert J. Shelby issued a preliminary injunction, emphasizing that even well-intentioned legislation must meet a high level of constitutional scrutiny. The law, part of Utah's efforts to combat social media's negative impacts on youth mental health, was set to take effect on October 1. NetChoice, a tech industry group representing companies like Meta, Google, and X, argued the law imposes unjustified, content-based restrictions on free speech. This decision is part of a broader trend where similar laws in other states have faced judicial blocks. The Utah Attorney General's office has yet to respond to the ruling.