ATLANTA (NEWsnet/AP) — Georgia might join other states in requiring minors to have their parents' explicit permission to create social media accounts.

Two top Republicans in that state— Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and Sen. Jason Anavitarte of Dallas — said in a Monday news conference they will seek to pass such a law in 2024.

Anavitarte said Georgia's rules would be modeled on a law that takes effect in 2024 in Louisiana. That measure says social media services must verify an account holder's age and can't let someone younger than 18 join without parental consent. Arkansas, Texas and Utah also passed laws this year requiring parental consent for children to use social media. 

Anavitarte said he has briefly been in contact with Meta Platforms, the company that owns Facebook and Instagram. He and Jones said they would discuss plans with the social media giant.

These efforts come after U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called on tech companies to share data and increase transparency and for policymakers to regulate social media for safety the way they do car seats and baby formula. Social media companies already ban kids under 13 from signing up to their platforms, but children have been shown to easily evade the bans.

Up to 95% of teens aged 13 to 17 report using a social media platform, with more than a third saying they use them “almost constantly,” the Pew Research Center found.

Meta announced last year that it was taking steps to verify someone’s age, including letting people upload their ID or record a video selfie; and partnering with an age verification company. Meta says it provides “age-appropriate experiences” for teens 13-17 on Instagram, including preventing unwanted contact from unknown adults.

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