Texas lawmakers are nearing a Senate vote on House Bill 186, which would enact the nation’s strictest social media limitations for minors.
The measure would prohibit those under 18 from creating or using accounts on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, X, Facebook, and Snapchat. Rep. Jared Patterson (R-Frisco) introduced the bill, which passed the Texas House on April 30 and cleared a Senate committee on May 23. A floor debate and Senate vote were scheduled for Tuesday, May 27.
With the legislative session ending June 2, the bill faces a tight deadline to reach Gov. Greg Abbott, who has expressed support and is expected to sign it if passed. The law would take effect September 1, 2025, with enforcement beginning January 1, 2026.
HB 186 would require social media platforms to verify user ages using transactional data or third-party apps, potentially involving ID and photo verification, with collected data to be deleted immediately after. Parents could request the deletion of a minor’s account, which platforms must remove within 10 days, or face fines and lawsuits for deceptive trade practices. The bill excludes interactive gaming services, applications, or websites from its definition of social media platforms.
Supporters argue the measure protects youth mental health and safety, citing studies linking social media to rising adolescent suicide rates.
“It is our kids killing themselves at a clip we’ve never seen before in the history of the state of Texas. And it’s all correlated back to this rapid rise in social media use,” Patterson said, per KXAN.
Parents who have lost children to suicide, like Maurine Molak of San Antonio, back the bill.
“I lost my son, David, to suicide 9 years ago after he was cyberbullied for months by a group of students on Instagram who were tormenting him. The reason we do this work is so that no other family has to walk in our shoes,” Molak said, NBC 5 DFW reported.
Critics, including some parents and free speech advocates, argue the bill infringes on First Amendment rights and questions its enforceability.
Melany Troller of Georgetown testified, “As a parent in Texas, this proposed bill is an affront to the First Amendment and undermines my role as a parent.”
The American Psychological Association has urged protecting adolescent mental health but advocates for more tailored policies over broad age restrictions, according to NBC News.
If passed, Texas would be the second state after Florida—which banned social media for those under 14 in 2024—to enact such restrictions. However, similar laws in Florida and Utah have faced legal challenges, with Utah’s law blocked by a federal judge. Texas’ ban could encounter similar hurdles, potentially delaying or altering its implementation.