United States of America: Issued interim ruling in the public lawsuit against the Social Media Parental Notification Act (NetChoice v Yost)

On 9 January 2024, an interim ruling was issued regarding the public lawsuit against the Social Media Parental Notification Act in Ohio, which was set to be implemented on 15 January 2024. A temporary legal injunction was granted following a lawsuit filed by NetChoice against the Attorney General of Ohio while the request for a preliminary injunction is pending. The lawsuit asserts that the legislation infringes upon constitutional rights and encroaches upon parental authority in caring for their children as they see fit. NetChoice contends that linking one's access and publication of online information to the willingness to upload private records, irrespective of age, is a violation of the First Amendment. The Social Media Parental Notification Act introduces an obligation for operators of online websites, services, or products that children access to obtain parental consent, affecting the entities represented by NetChoice. The motion for a preliminary injunction includes a plea for a temporary restraining order, providing the court with additional time to deliberate on the injunction request before the State initiates enforcement.