SALT LAKE CITY—Gov. Spencer Cox has been signing hundreds of bills since the close of the 2025 Legislative Session that ended March 7. On Friday, April 4, Cox held a ceremonial signing of landmark legislation that protects kids online, removes cell phones from classrooms and gives people – not social media platforms – control of personal information.

“These three bills are my most favorite this session,” said Cox at a press conference. “We have three bills that we’re celebrating today, around tech safety, around holding social media companies and technology companies accountable, something that is so important.”

Cox said he’s been reading and studying this topic. “I just became passionate seeing what was happening to our kids, to my own kids, to their friends, knowing something was completely broken. Getting the data from health experts in our state and just seeing the rise in anxiety, depression and self harm with our young people. So I met with legislative leadership during the summer.”

This would have been two years ago, he said. “I said, ‘hey, look I’m really concerned about this. We need to do something. We have some ideas. Is anybody willing to jump in?’ I was grateful that they did. We passed some of the first and most expansive legislation in the country around holding social media companies accountable and that was a great start.”

Then, the legislature came back together this year with some new ideas, said Cox. “Some bold ideas and some that weren’t even our ideas and that were better than what we had thought of. I remember getting criticism two years ago for our first social media bills that we were trying to be anti-state and take power away from parents.”

It's the exact opposite, he said. “What we are trying to do is to give parents and families back the power over these destructive and corrosive apps and cell phones. Frankly, what we’re trying to do is empower them.”

“HB14 is the turning point,” said bill sponsor, Rep. Doug Fiefia. “It’s a moment in history where we choose people over platforms, families over profit, the greater good over an unchecked algorithm. It’s where we shift power back to where it always should have remained – with the people – with Utahns.”

Starting today, they can own, manage and control their data on social media platforms, he said. “We no longer have to say we’re OK with the status quo. Together we can shape the future digital world so that our kids can thrive, not just survive online.”

“Every time someone downloads an app or an app has changed it pops up and says, ‘do you accept these terms and conditions?’” said SB142 bill sponsor, Sen. Todd Weiler. “We’re allowing our 11 year olds, our 13 year olds and our 15 year olds to enter into binding contracts. You might say ‘bid deal.’ Well these contracts will say you’re given permission to collect their data, sometimes to access their microphone, even their cameras, to use their data, to sell their data.”

There are app developers who access kids in the middle of the night in their bedrooms, he said. “Everyone seems to be OK with this and this bill says this is not OK. This is a very good bill, a very important piece of legislation.”

“The new policy (SB178) is that cell phones are not allowed in class unless a school district decides there’s a better way that we can use these to help our students thrive,” said bill sponsor, Sen. Lincoln Fillmore. “The most dangerous thing that cell phones do in schools is tap kids on the shoulder every five minutes and let them know that somebody you’ve never met just said something interesting on the internet. Don’t you want to check it out?”

That constant vibration in the pocket or being in the earbud is just so distracting, he said. “It turns school into ‘I’m constantly under the fear of missing out on what is going on in the virtual world apart from me.’”

“I’m a senior,” said a student at Timpanogos High School. “I transferred here my senior year so I didn’t know anyone pretty much. We didn’t have a cell phone policy my first semester. It was a relief as a student when our second semester was with a cell phone policy. I was able to connect with my peers more as compared to my first semester. I want to meet my peers. I want to talk to them. I want to know people’s names. I’m very supportive of this bill.”

“Utah is leading the nation when it comes to social media and cell phones and protecting our kids,” said Cox. “Sadly, we didn’t get bell to bell. Research is 100% clear that bell to bell does protect our kids so much more than going to recess or lunch and getting on your phones. So I hope we’re not done here.”

In every single red state or blue state where a school has done bell to bell they’ve seen unbelievable changes, he said. “They’ve had an increase in testing scores and increases in attention go through the roof. Maybe the most important thing is a decrease in mental health issues.”