Teen Consent Is Not a Solution to Social Media
This report critiques the growing trend of allowing teenagers to consent to data collection and addictive design features on social media platforms. It highlights Montana’s SB297 law and similar state laws that permit teens aged thirteen to seventeen to consent to online data practices. The report argues that treating teen consent as a legal solution in the digital space is a departure from traditional legal norms, which typically restrict minors from making consequential decisions without parental involvement. It raises concerns about the psychological manipulation of minors and the erosion of childhood as a protected social and legal status.
Related Incidents
Same harm domain, actors and location may differ
14-year-old teen hospitalized with burns after participating in TikTok "Jam Jar Pulse Jet" fire challenge
Factory worker Prince Kumar, 20, killed after colleague reacts with laughing emoji to his Facebook post about grandfather's death
Rajya Sabha MP Sudha Murty targeted by scammer impersonating Telecom Department official, demanding personal data under threat
Punjabi singer Mankirt Aulakh receives WhatsApp death threat from Italian number attributed to Davinder Bambiha gang, threatening family members
French streamer dies after 12 days of livestreamed physical abuse and sleep deprivation on Kick
Related Legislation
Other policies covering the same harm domain