Tech Industry Group Halts Arkansas Age Checks for Social Media

A tech industry group won a federal court order halting the implementation of an Arkansas law that requires parental permission to register for social media accounts and online age checks to access certain platforms.

The Thursday ruling from the US District Court for the Western District of Arkansas prevents the state’s attorney general from enforcing the law while a legal challenge from NetChoice plays out. The group, which represents companies such as Meta Platforms Inc. and TikTok, argues the law censors free speech online and undermines people’s privacy.

The Arkansas law, poised to take effect Sept. 1, is one ...