Columbia, South Carolina – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson has joined a 32-state friend-of-the-court brief backing a Louisiana law aimed at shielding children from what supporters describe as the addictive dangers of social media, placing the state inside a growing national legal fight over how far governments can go to protect minors online.
The move reflects a broader push by states arguing that social media is no longer just a communication tool, but a powerful digital environment capable of shaping the habits, emotions and daily lives of young users.
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In the brief, the coalition argues that both state and federal governments have the authority to step in when children face harm online, and that such protections do not violate the First Amendment rights of minors.
Wilson framed the issue in both personal and legal terms, saying the speed of the digital era has made government action necessary.
“As a father and Attorney General, I believe it is imperative that we protect children from online dangers,” Attorney General Wilson said.
“We must adapt to this fast-paced digital age while securing a better future for our children.”
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At the center of the argument is the belief that children are being drawn into highly profitable systems designed to keep them engaged. According to the information released with the filing, social media platforms bring in $11 billion each year from advertisements directed at children, including nearly $2 billion in profits tied to ads generated from users age 12 and younger.
Supporters of the Louisiana law say those figures underscore the financial incentives behind platforms that increasingly capture the attention of minors.
Wilson also warned about the nature of the content children can encounter online. “Today’s children are growing up in the Wild West of the digital age,” Attorney General Wilson stated. “Children are being exposed to harmful and dangerous content daily on social media and we must take action.”
The brief was led by Florida and signed by attorneys general from a wide range of states across the country, including Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Delaware, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming, along with the District of Columbia.
The filing adds another layer to a national debate that is likely to intensify as lawmakers, courts and parents continue weighing how to balance digital freedom with child safety in an online world that keeps expanding faster than the rules meant to govern it.
