Supreme Court opens door to social media age

The Supreme Court will let Mississippi’s social media age verification law take effect while the case is being argued in court. In an unsigned ruling on Thursday, the court declined to block the law after an emergency petition from trade association NetChoice. The order offers no explanation, but in a concurring opinion, Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote that the law was “likely unconstitutional” — but that NetChoice hadn’t“sufficiently demonstrated” a risk of harm.

The law, HB 1126, requires social media platforms to verify the age of the person creating the account, while blocking users under 18 unless they have permission from a parent. It also states that social media sites must protect underage users from “harmful material” — such as sexual content and material related to self-harm — as