Senate adopts technical changes and advances parental-rights social media bill amid free-speech concerns

The Legislature advanced LB383, a bill that would require age verification and parental consent before minors may use certain social-media features and that increases parental access to a minor’s account settings and posts. Sponsors said the measure seeks to protect children from the addictive and predatory design features of social platforms; opponents raised First Amendment and privacy concerns and warned the law could be subject to court challenges.

Sponsor Senator Storer told colleagues the state has a ‘‘compelling interest to protect minors from predatory online behaviour’’ and described LB383 as tailored to that goal. The bill’s drafters said it avoids the broad exclusions that led a recent Arkansas statute to be enjoined in federal court and includes targeted exemptions (for…