The Texas House of Representatives has advanced legislation aimed at barring individuals under the age of 18 from creating social media accounts. State Representative Jared Patterson (R-Frisco), the sponsor of House Bill 186, emphasized the urgency of the measure, describing social media as “the most dangerous legal product that children have access to.”
According to Patterson, the bill stems from growing apprehensions about the mental health and safety of young users online. He highlighted the legislation as one of the most significant proposals he has introduced in his four terms, citing troubling trends in youth well-being.
“Due to constant social media use, self-harm rates have skyrocketed, up 48% for boys and a staggering 188% for young girls,” Patterson said during floor debate. “Suicide rates for boys rose 91% and by 67% for girls. In a recent Pew study, 48% of teens admitted that social media harms people their age.”
He also referenced an investigation by the Wall Street Journal, noting that Instagram accounts identified as belonging to 13-year-olds encountered considerably more harmful content—including nudity, violence, and bullying—compared to accounts of users over 30.
KVUE reports that if enacted, House Bill 186 would prohibit social media platforms from allowing Texans under 18 to create accounts and require companies to implement age verification protocols. These measures could include methods based on transactional data or uploading a government-issued photo ID. The proposed law would take effect on January 1, 2026, pending approval by the Senate and Governor Greg Abbott.
In addition, the House approved House Bill 499 by Rep. Mary Gonzalez (D-Clint), which would require social media companies to display a warning about the negative mental health effects associated with youth social media use. This alert would need to appear every time a user opens the app, and users would be required to acknowledge it before continuing. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission would be responsible for drafting the warning. If passed, platforms would have until April 1, 2026, to comply.
The bills allow accounts to remain anonymous and do not mandate the use of real names or profile pictures, provided users can prove they are at least 18 years old. Still, some lawmakers voiced privacy concerns such as Representative Erin Zwiener (D-Driftwood) who questioned whether the bill might lead to increased data collection by tech companies.
“I don’t know how they could collect more data on us than they already do. They know when you’re happy. They know when you’re sad. They know when you’re hungry. They know when you break up with your boyfriend. They know everything about you,” Patterson responded. “They know when you where you plug in your phone at night. They know who else’s phones are nearby. When you plug in your phone at night. They know more about you than you know about yourself.”
Rep. Gene Wu (D-Houston) expressed apprehension that enhanced data collection might discourage individuals from engaging in political discourse, especially considering prior data breaches at companies like Facebook and Bank of America. While Patterson acknowledged that concern, he argued that social media companies already possess extensive information about users.
Zwiener added that although she supports increased regulation, particularly in areas concerning youth and data privacy, she has reservations about an outright prohibition. “I still am struggling with this outright ban and both the effect it has on adults’ privacy and on minors,” she said.
The legislation would also enable parents to ask social media companies to deactivate their children’s accounts. Failure to comply could lead to enforcement actions by the Texas Attorney General, as violations would be treated as deceptive trade practices under state law.
Patterson warned of the long-term consequences of inaction. “The harms that we are seeing in today’s children will only be accelerated if steps are not taken, and that isn’t even taking into consideration the long-term unknown effects of social media,” he said. “This legislation will allow today’s kids to be kids again.”
Though some opponents argue the bill could infringe on parental rights and free speech, Patterson maintains it is a necessary step to protect youth from addictive and harmful digital behavior. He pointed to an opinion piece by former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy in The New York Times, which likened the dangers of social media to those once associated with tobacco.
