State lawmakers across America are taking inspiration from California’s efforts in improving online safety for children to fortify their own bills against potential constitutional dissent. Recently, a California law, designed to prioritize the welfare of children who are likely to visit certain sites, encountered a barrier when a federal judge blocked its implementation. This law, introduced in 2022, made the state the pioneer in enacting a design code that necessitates tech companies to evaluate the impact of their products on young users while developing their platforms.
California’s 2022 law, although currently stalled, has inspired a similar legislation in Maryland that might soon become law. This development reflects a growing national trend to enforce online safety measures for the youth. Despite tech industry’s litigation, legislators remain undeterred and continue to forge ahead with these design-code measures which substantially deviate from the traditional parental-consent laws.
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