Florida clears law banning social media for children under 14
A bill that prohibits minors under the age of 14 from using social media and mandates that 14 and 15-year-olds obtain parental approval was signed into law by florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Monday. Proponents of the bill argue that these measures would shield the state's youth from online threats to their mental health.
Social media companies are required by the law to delete the accounts of users under the age of 14 and those under the age of 16 who do not have parental permission. In order to exclude minors, they must employ a third-party verification mechanism.
In February, the state legislature, which is governed by Republicans, approved a bill that would have completely prohibited minors under 16 from using social media. That law was vetoed earlier this month by Republican Ron DeSantis, who said it restricted parental rights.
Social media companies are required by the law to delete the accounts of users under the age of 14 and those under the age of 16 who do not have parental permission. In order to exclude minors, they must employ a third-party verification mechanism.
In February, the state legislature, which is governed by Republicans, approved a bill that would have completely prohibited minors under 16 from using social media. That law was vetoed earlier this month by Republican Ron DeSantis, who said it restricted parental rights.
The updated version permits parents to give their older children's permission to use social media. It will go into effect on january 1, 2025.
According to DeSantis, "social media harms children in a variety of ways." According to him, the law "gives parents a greater ability to protect their children."
The act, according to its supporters, would lessen the negative effects that social media has on children's wellbeing. Children who use these platforms excessively run the risk of developing anxiety, depression, and other mental diseases.
According to DeSantis, "social media harms children in a variety of ways." According to him, the law "gives parents a greater ability to protect their children."
The act, according to its supporters, would lessen the negative effects that social media has on children's wellbeing. Children who use these platforms excessively run the risk of developing anxiety, depression, and other mental diseases.
Opponents claim that the measure goes against the First Amendment's guarantees of free expression in the US Constitution and that parents, not the government, should be in charge of deciding what their children, regardless of age, can and cannot post online.
The parent firm of instagram and Facebook, Meta (META.O), opposed the law, claiming that users' personal information required for age verification would raise concerns about data privacy and limit parental choice. According to Meta, it supports federal law and creates a new tab for online app shops to obtain parental consent before allowing minors to download content.
The parent firm of instagram and Facebook, Meta (META.O), opposed the law, claiming that users' personal information required for age verification would raise concerns about data privacy and limit parental choice. According to Meta, it supports federal law and creates a new tab for online app shops to obtain parental consent before allowing minors to download content.
Although the law does not specifically mention any social media sites, it does note that the platforms it targets are those that encourage "infinite scrolling," show reaction metrics like likes, have videos that automatically play, allow live streaming, and offer push alerts. Websites and applications that are primarily used for email, messaging, or texting between a specific sender and receiver would be excluded.
The law permits parents to file legal actions against social media corporations that fail to completely remove personal data gathered from closed accounts.
The law permits parents to file legal actions against social media corporations that fail to completely remove personal data gathered from closed accounts.
According to a legislative study done for the florida bill, Utah became the first US state to pass legislation restricting children's access to social media in march 2023. Other states that followed included Arkansas, Louisiana, Ohio, and Texas. According to the research, several additional states were considering enacting laws along these lines.