US EditionLouisiana’s Law Requiring Social Media Age Verification for Minors Slapped Down in Court
Judge John W. deGravelles blocked the law citing vague definitions and excessive privacy risks, a win for NetChoice and tech platforms opposing mandatory age checks.
- December 16th, 2025, a federal judge in Baton Rouge blocked Louisiana's Act 456, the Secure Online Child Interaction and Age Limitation Act, ruling it violates the First Amendment.
- Passed in 2023, the Secure Online Child Interaction and Age Limitation Act required parental consent for minors under the age of 16 to create social accounts and targeted platforms including Meta, Reddit, Snap, YouTube, and Discord.
- Citing Supreme Court rulings, the judge found that the statutory term "social media platform" was unclear and that age-verification rules could block lawful First Amendment activity.
- The decision came days before enforcement was set to begin, despite the law taking effect over the summer; NetChoice praised the ruling, while Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said she will appeal.
- Legal observers say this outcome reinforces a trend limiting state regulation of social platforms, and the ruling is the latest federal decision siding with NetChoice against laws like Louisiana's, which opponents called a `massive privacy risk` for Louisianans.
14 Articles
14 Articles
Louisiana law requiring age verification on social media is unconstitutional, federal judge rules
A federal judge has blocked Louisiana from enforcing a 2023 law requiring social media companies to verify the age of users, obtain parental consent and provide parental controls, saying it violates the First Amendment.
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Federal judge strikes down Louisiana social media age-check law
(The Center Square) – A federal judge in Baton Rouge has blocked a Louisiana age-verification law for social media, ruling that it violates the First Amendment and is too vague to enforce. In a 94-page opinion, U.S. District Judge John…
In recent years, a number of bills have been passed requiring age verification on various websites and social media platforms in the name of protecting children from the harms of the internet. The U.S. state of Louisiana also passed the "Children's Online Safety and Age Restrictions Act (Act 456)" in 2023. However, a lawsuit filed by the industry group NetChoice resulted in an injunction blocking Act 456, ruling it unconstitutional.
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