CNN —The Arkansas House of Representatives passed a bill on Wednesday that would require social media companies to verify their users’ ages and confirm that minors have permission from a parent or guardian before opening an account. The bill, dubbed the Social Media Safety Act, was passed by an overwhelming vote of 82-10, according to a tweet from the House account, and adds to the swell of efforts by state and federal lawmakers to regulate social media platforms and protect children online. If the Arkansas bill is signed into law, social media companies would be required to use third-party vendors to verify Arkansas residents’ ages – regardless of whether or not they are minors. For users younger than 18, the platform must obtain the consent of their parent or guardian in order to open an account for them. Similar bills have also been proposed in Connecticut and Ohio, where the legislation would require a guardian’s consent for minors younger than 16 to have accounts.

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