COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina’s new social‑media safety law — called the Stop Harm From Addictive Social Media Act — passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, clearing the House unanimously and passing the Senate with only one opposing vote.
The law aims to limit how children use social media and give parents more control.
Parents like James Harris said they welcome the change. Harris told Channel 9 he raised his kids outdoors and worries about the influence social media can have on children without close supervision.
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Beginning next year, the law will ban children under 16 from using social media without a parent’s permission.
Even with permission, platforms will be required to restrict accounts for minors. That means kids won’t be able to see like counts, receive late‑night notifications, or endlessly scroll through auto‑play videos.
The bill was sponsored by State Rep. Brandon Guffey, whose teenage son died by suicide after an online extortion scheme. Guffey has pushed for stronger protections, comparing big tech’s tactics to those once used by big tobacco.
Not everyone supports the law. The online‑free‑expression group NetChoice opposed the bill, arguing it fails to protect users, puts minors’ data at risk, and violates the First Amendment.
The law does not require users to upload an ID. Instead, social‑media companies must estimate a user’s age based on the content they view. If the platform determines someone is likely under 16, restrictions must be applied.
Meanwhile, North Carolina lawmakers are considering their own proposal that would bar children 13 and under from having social‑media accounts and require companies to delete existing underage accounts.
That bill must return to the House after new language was added regarding AI instruction.