A federal judge struck down an Arkansas law requiring age verification for social media users, deeming it unconstitutional. The ruling is a win for social media companies and digital rights advocates against laws infringing on free speech. The law, passed in 2023, mandated verification for users under 18 and parental consent. Judge Timothy Brooks criticized the law's broadness and vagueness, stating it unjustly affected online speech. The ruling is a significant blow to attempts at enforcing such regulations and reinforces First Amendment protections against unlawful data demands.
Judge Timothy Brooks stated that Act 689 was excessively broad and created a content-based restriction on speech, violating the Constitution.
NetChoice representative Chris Marchese emphasized that this ruling safeguards Americans from the need to provide personal data for accessing protected speech online.
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