Georgia Social Media Law for Minors Cleared to Move Forward

A federal appeals court has removed the preliminary legal barrier that prevented Georgia from enforcing its restrictions on social-media accounts for children younger than 16.

The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals vacated an injunction against Senate Bill 351, allowing the state to move forward while the broader constitutional challenge continues. The ruling does not end the lawsuit or guarantee that every part of the law will survive further review.

What the law requires

Covered social-media platforms must make commercially reasonable efforts to verify users’ ages. A child age 15 or younger must have parental consent to create or maintain an account.

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The law also limits targeted advertising to minors when the ads rely on personal information collected through their accounts. Companies can face civil penalties of as much as $2,500 for each violation.

Separate provisions require Georgia school systems to restrict social-media access through school-owned devices and networks. Those rules affect students using district technology rather than personal devices on private internet connections.

What the appeals court decided

The court’s decision reverses the preliminary block imposed by a federal judge, who had found that the challengers were likely to succeed on First Amendment grounds.

The appeals panel did not issue a final judgment on the law’s constitutionality. Instead, it concluded that the earlier injunction could not remain in place under the legal analysis used by the lower court. The case now returns for additional proceedings, and narrower challenges to individual provisions remain possible.

The appeals court ruling places Georgia among several states testing how far governments can go in requiring age checks and parental permission without improperly restricting speech or anonymous internet use.

What families should expect

The ruling clears the way for enforcement, but Georgia has not announced a detailed timetable explaining when platforms must begin age checks or how parents will provide consent.

Families should expect procedures to differ by platform. The law requires reasonable age-verification measures but does not establish a single statewide sign-up system for social-media accounts.

School districts will also implement their own policies within the state framework. That means restrictions placed on school networks and devices may vary in their details across Fulton, Forsyth, Gwinnett, DeKalb and Cherokee counties.