A Sweeping Plan to Protect Kids From Social Media

A few days ago, Utah became the first state to pass a law prohibiting social media services from allowing users under 18 to have accounts without the explicit consent of a parent or guardian. The move, by Republican officials, is intended to address what they describe as a mental health crisis among American teenagers as well as to protect younger users from bullying and child sexual exploitation.The technology reporter Natasha Singer explains the measure, and why it could be a sign of where the country is headed.

Guest: Natasha Singer, who writes about technology, business and society for The New York Times.

Background reading: 

• The Utah law prohibits social networks from allowing minors to have accounts without parental consent.
• The creator of Fortnite was found by federal regulators to have violated children’s privacy and duped millions of users into unwanted purchases.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.