Over the past year, multiple US states have banded together to sue Facebook for its privacy practices and its treatment of young users. But this week, the state of Maryland went even further, passing two landmark privacy bills intended to rein in how Facebook and other tech companies collect user data.

One bill, called the Maryland Online Data Privacy Act, would impose harsh restrictions on how Facebook can collect and use this data. And the second bill, called the Maryland Kids Code, aims to prevent Facebook from tracking users under 18 and to make it illegal for the platform to use “manipulative techniques” to keep kids glued to their screens.

“We are making a statement to the tech industry, and to Marylanders, that we need to rein in some of this data gathering,” Maryland state delegate Sara Love said. “We need to put up some guardrails to protect our consumers.”

Of course, Maryland fully expects a strong legal challenge from Facebook, and the company is already signaling that it’s coming. NetChoice, a tech industry trade group representing Facebook, has already successfully sued to halt this kind of legislation in other states, and it commented on the Maryland bills this week.

“Government is no replacement for parents,” NetChoice vice president Carl Szabo said. “Maryland lawmakers should stop trying to replace parents and instead work with them.”

Despite the challenges these lawmakers know they’ll face in court, it’s encouraging that they stood up to Facebook and are daring the company to answer for its controversial privacy practices.

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