How and Why to Fight Back Against Social Media Bans
Summary
Several U.S. states are proposing bills to ban young people from social media entirely, framed as child online safety measures. The EFF argues these bans represent a dangerous expansion of government surveillance and censorship, moving beyond initial claims of protecting minors from adult content to potentially restricting broader categories of lawful speech.
IFF Assessment
This article highlights a trend of government legislation that could lead to increased surveillance and censorship of online activity, which is detrimental to digital privacy and free expression.
Defender Context
Defenders should be aware of legislative trends that could impact user privacy and online freedoms, as these may introduce new compliance challenges or create environments ripe for overreach. The shift towards increased government control over online spaces could have implications for data handling, user authentication, and the definition of acceptable online behavior.