Arkansas Republican Succeeds in Mandating Age Verification for All Major Platforms

Arkansas Republican Succeeds in Mandating Age Verification for All Major Platforms

LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas legislature gave final legislative approval yesterday to a Republican senator's bill mandating that a number of major open social media platforms — including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Snapchat — implement age verification starting Sept. 1.

SB 396, sponsored by state Sen. Tyler Dees (R-Siloam Springs), also establishes that new users “under age 18 will need the express consent of a parent or guardian to create online profiles” the Arkansas Advocate reported.

Dees, a poultry plant executive who says he spends his free time in Bible study, urged the Senate to pass his bill because “teens and children are being exposed to harmful people and inappropriate content on social media,” the Advocate reported. He also claimed that mandatory age verification for certain websites “would empower parents to protect their kids.”

A fellow Republican, Sen. Ricky Hill (Cabot) opposed Dees and called SB 396 “a communistic China bill.”

Hill argued that the new law “would pick winners and losers, expose Arkansans’ sensitive personal information and hamper personal freedom,” the Advocate reported.

“We’re wanting to put something into law that’s not going to change anything, except we’re going to have our identity stolen,” Hill said. “Let’s be parents.”

The bill creates financial and criminal liability for each instance of non-compliance, and applies only to “the largest social media companies, like Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram; TikTok; Twitter; Snapchat and others,” the Advocate noted. “It does not apply to platforms that generate less than $100,000,000 in gross annual revenue, and is written in a way that exempts some platforms, like YouTube, LinkedIn, online video games, email and messenger services, streaming sites and e-commerce.”

The law is expected to be signed into law by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who stated last month her belief that “Big Tech exploits children for profits.”

As XBIZ reported, Dees is also the main sponsor of another Republican bill, SB 66, which would require age verification before “entering a website offering pornography” and is currently being debated in the state senate.

Main Image: Anti-porn Arkansas State Senator Tyler Dees (R-Siloam Springs) (Photo: Arkansas Senate)

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

25,000 Sign Petition to Legalize Pornography in Ukraine

An OnlyFans model’s petition to decriminalize pornography in Ukraine has amassed the 25,000 signatures required for official consideration by President Volodymyr Zelensky.

WannaCollab Joins Pineapple Support as Supporter-Level Sponsor

WannaCollab has joined the ranks of over 70 adult businesses and organizations committing funds and resources to Pineapple Support.

FSC Unpacks SCOTUS Age Verification Ruling in Webinar

The Free Speech Coalition conducted a public webinar Tuesday to help adult industry stakeholders understand the Supreme Court’s recent decision in FSC v. Paxton, and its potential implications.

UK Lawmaker Calls for Appointment of 'Porn Minister'

Baroness Gabrielle Bertin, the Conservative member of Parliament who recently convened a new anti-pornography task force, is calling for the appointment of a “minister for porn,” according to British news outlet The Guardian.

FSC Toasts Jeffrey Douglas for 30 Years of Service

n the very same evening when the adult industry was hit hard by the Supreme Court ruling supporting Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181, members of the Free Speech Coalition board, staff and supporters gathered to celebrate Jeffrey Douglas’ 30 years as board chair — a fitting reflection of his reputation as an eternal optimist.

TTS Opens UK Testing Location

Talent Testing Service (TTS) has opened a new U.K. location in Ware, Hertfordshire.

FSC: Age-Verification Laws Go Into Effect in South Dakota, Georgia, Wyoming on July 1

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has published a statement regarding new age verification laws set to go into effect tomorrow in South Dakota, Georgia, and Wyoming.

FSC Responds to Supreme Court Decision on Texas AV Law

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has released a statement responding to last week's Supreme Court decision on FSC v. Paxton, the Texas age verification law.

Sex Work CEO Debuts Upgraded 'GPTease' AI Assistant

Sex Work CEO has introduced the new Canvas in-chat editing feature to its AI-powered, NSFW text generator, GPTease.

UPDATED: Supreme Court Rules Against Adult Industry in Pivotal Texas AV Case

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday issued its decision in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, striking a blow against the online adult industry by ruling in support of Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181.

Show More