There are already complaints that we're living in a nanny state, and if Texas gets its way, there could be more control than ever on what people are given access to.
It's not just places like North Korea banning YouTube, Iran banning Facebook, or China banning the lot, with the USA trying to strip social media away from millions. Texas is aiming to push through House Bill 186, which would ban social media accounts on the likes of all the above and TikTok, while also requiring age verification for anyone creating a new account.
If House Bill 186 is enacted, parents could request that a minor's account be deleted, with the platform then having up to 10 days to comply or face fines and potential lawsuits from the Texas Attorney General's office.
Much like how Vice President JD Vance has called out dating apps for being 'destructive' to young people, House Bill 186 maintains that social media is a mental health minefield for under-18s.
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There are still plenty of critics, with the Computer & Communications Industry Association testifying to the Texas Senate Committee on State Affairs against the bill. Current state law allows minors to enter certain contracts with flexibility, whereas House Bill 186 would block them from entering a social media agreement, even with support from their parents. The CCIA says this is a double standard that would limit the ability for minors to access information online. There's also an argument that it's unconstitutional due to restricting access to how youngsters express themselves and build communities. It should be noted that similar laws in Arkansas and Ohio have been blocked under the First Amendment.
Still, HB 186 has sailed through the House with bipartisan support and will soon reach Governor Greg Abbott.
Among its proponents, State Representative Jared Patterson (who authored the bill) referred to social media as "the most harmful thing that our kids have legal access to in Texas."
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Digital rights groups like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) have argued that HB 186 would "cut off an entire universe of information and conversation from young people." Tech giants, including Meta, Google, and ,X are represented by NetChoice, which has branded the bill as a "censorship regime masquerading as an online safety law." Elsewhere, high school athletes have voiced their concerns as they say social media is an important way to build their own personal brands. Representative Patterson has suggested that parents should create and manage accounts for their kids.
Speaking during the State Affairs Committee hearing, co-sponsor Sen. Adam Hinojosa, R-Corpus Christi shared his thoughts as he concluded: "Like so many parents across our state, I've watched my children grow up in a world that feels less and less safe, not because of where they go physically, but because of where they go online, in spaces that my wife and I can not possibly monitor at all times."
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Abbot previously signed House Bill 18 into law in 2023, with the Securing Children Online through Parental Empowerment Act requiring certain platforms to provide data protections for minors to stop them from accessing harmful content, and allow parents to control their child’s usage.
If enacted, House Bill 186 would go into effect on September 1, 2025, with restrictions on social media accounts for under-18s going live from January 1, 2026.