Georgia Senate Bill SB343

Georgia 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/19/25
• Refer: 3/20/25

Caption

Age Verification of Account Holders; providers of social media platforms from permitting a minor aged 14 years or younger to be an account holder; prohibit

Summary

SB 343 would amend Georgia law governing age verification and minors’ access to social media platforms. The bill prohibits providers of social media platforms from allowing a child age 14 or younger to hold an account. For minors older than 14, a platform could only permit an account if it first obtains express consent from a parent or guardian. The bill also specifies several acceptable ways for platforms to obtain that parental consent, including signed forms, toll-free phone consent, videoconference confirmation, verification using government ID or payment information with deletion afterward, email-based consent with additional identity checks, or another commercially reasonable method using available technology. The act would take effect July 1, 2025, and would repeal conflicting laws.

Impact

If enacted, SB 343 would tighten Georgia’s restrictions on social media account creation by minors and expand the obligations of platform operators to verify age and secure parental permission. It would directly affect social media companies doing business in Georgia, requiring them to implement or adjust age-screening and consent procedures for users under 15. The bill amends Code Section 39-6-2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated and would supersede any conflicting state provisions.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and available context, the measure appears to be framed as a child-safety and parental-control bill, with no recorded committee debate or vote history provided. The sponsorship and caption suggest support from lawmakers concerned about minors’ access to social media, online harms, and age-appropriate use. Because there are no transcripts or votes, there is no documented opposition or support in the provided materials beyond the bill’s stated purpose.

Contention

The main points of potential contention are the age cutoff and the burden placed on platforms to verify both age and parental consent. Critics could argue that the bill may be difficult to administer, could raise privacy concerns when collecting ID or payment information, and may be challenging to enforce consistently across platforms. Supporters are likely to emphasize protecting younger children from social media exposure and giving parents greater control over their children’s online accounts.