Kentucky child sex offenders have to use full name on social media, US court says
A Kentucky law that requires child sex offenders to use their full name on social media is enforceable statewide, according to a unanimous ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals.
The federal appeals court issued a 16-paged ruling Monday that said the law, passed in 2024, would require registered sex offenders to use their full name if they choose to use social media.
An anonymous registered sex offender in Daviess County sued County Attorney John Burlew in July 2024, attempting to stop the law from being enforced. The plaintiff argued the law violated his First Amendment rights, and asked the statute be declared unconstitutional.
A federal district court judge initially agreed with the man, but Attorney General Russell Coleman acted to defend the law’s constitutionality. The case wound up in front of the appeals court in April 2025.
”We are working relentlessly to protect our kids from predators online,” Coleman said. “Policymakers in the General Assembly passed a common-sense law to keep Kentucky kids safe. We successfully defended that law up to the federal court that’s one level below the Supreme Court of the United States. We will continue to fight against online predators who try to use the anonymity of the internet to harm our kids.”
Unless the plaintiff seeks review by the U.S. Supreme Court, the case will return to federal district court.
Daviess County Attorney Burlew said he was thankful the “important law” could go into full effect.
“Kentucky’s leaders came together in a bipartisan way to protect our children online. I’m grateful to Attorney General Coleman and his staff, in particular Jack Heyburn, for taking up this fight on my behalf to keep kids safe,” Burlew said.
