Utah Governor Escalates State’s Fight With Social Media Giants, Promises Lawsuits

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) promised multiple lawsuits against social media companies following legislation in the state that will restrict social media use by minors.

"In the coming months, you will see lawsuits being filed by the state of Utah to hold them accountable," Cox said on Sunday on CBS' "Face the Nation."

The Republican governor signed legislation in March that requires age verification, parental consent, and enacts a curfew on usage for minors.

The restrictions will be in place next year, though Cox admitted enforcement will be an issue. He said he expects the fight to eventually land in the Supreme Court.

"I suspect that at some point, the Supreme Court will weigh in on this decision when it comes to restricting youth access," he said.

The governor accused social media companies of trying to hide data suggesting social media was having a negative impact on youth.

"We believe they’ve known about the dangers, some of this has been leaked out, Meta and others, very clear evidence that they knew the harms that their products were causing to kids, and that they intentionally tried to hide that information," he said.

Cox argued there is a "causal link" between social media and increases in anxiety, depression, and more.

Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy issued a report in May warning parents to limit time on social media for their children, citing studies showing social media can lower the self esteem of kids and warning many could be easily exposed to hateful content.