Federal Judge Blocks Louisiana Social Media Age Verification Law Ahead of Enforcement

A U.S. federal judge has blocked Louisiana’s proposed social media age verification law, delivering a setback to state-level efforts aimed at regulating online access for minors. The law, formally titled the Secure Online Child Interaction and Age Limitation Act, was scheduled to begin enforcement within days, despite having technically taken effect on July 2025; however, state officials agreed not to enforce it until December 19, 2025.

The legislation was passed in 2023 and would have compelled social media and content-sharing platforms, such as Meta, Reddit, Snap, YouTube, and Discord, to have age verification systems and parents’ consent policies in place. It was aimed at restricting children’s access to harmful materials on the Internet, such as pornography and other explicit material, and enhancing the level of child safety on the web.

Judge John W. deGravelles has ruled that the law had constitutional issues. He claimed that both the age verification and parental consent clauses were over- and under-inclusive, as well as criticized the statute in general for a broad definition of what constitutes a social media platform. The court said that such uncertainty posed a risk to inconsistent application and excessive load on platforms and users.

The ruling is a major victory for NetChoice, a trade association in the technology industry, that appealed the law. NetChoice claimed that the law violated First Amendment rights and posed privacy and security concerns tied to collecting sensitive identity data for access to speech online.

On the verge of the ruling, NetChoice pointed out that poorly crafted age assurance mechanisms may have unintended effects. The group cautioned that mandatory age verification, without privacy-preserving technologies, would expose users to data misuse and surveillance risks. It also referred to overseas cases in which such laws have been a subject of civil liberties concerns.

Although the federal court ruled the law unconstitutional, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill publicly criticized the decision as “very disappointing,” arguing it prioritizes the interests of large technology companies over child protection and vowing to appeal. The decision highlights the escalating tension between online child safety measures and constitutional privacy concerns. With age verification laws still being sought by governments across the world, the ruling highlights the importance of the increasing role of age assurance solutions that are both balanced and legally feasible, and those that do not undermine fundamental rights as a way to secure the protection of minors.