Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law that bans children under 14 from social media platforms and requires parental consent for 14- and 15-year-olds, with the goal of protecting them from potential online risks to their mental health. The legislation mandates that social media platforms must terminate accounts of those under 14 and under 16 without parental consent, and utilize a third-party verification system to screen underage users. The bill was initially intended to ban children under 16 from social media entirely, but was amended to allow parents to provide consent for older children to use social media. The law is set to go into effect on July 1.
DeSantis believes that social media has harmful effects on children, and the legislation will give parents greater ability to protect their children from these negative impacts. Supporters of the bill also argue that excessive use of social media can lead to anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues in children. However, critics argue that the law violates the First Amendment’s protections for free speech and that decisions about children’s online presence should be made by parents, not the government. Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, opposed the legislation as it would limit parental discretion and raise data privacy concerns.
While the bill does not specifically name any social media platforms, it targets those that use features such as infinite scrolling, likes, auto-play videos, live streaming, and push notifications. Platforms primarily used for email, messaging, or texting between specific senders and recipients are exempt from the law. Social media companies are required to delete personal information from terminated accounts and allow parents to bring civil lawsuits against those that fail to do so. In March 2023, Utah became the first state to regulate children’s access to social media, with other states including Arkansas, Louisiana, Ohio, and Texas following suit, and more considering similar regulations.
Overall, the new law signed by Governor DeSantis in Florida aims to protect children from potential harms of social media and give parents more control over their children’s online activities. The legislation restricts access for children under 14 and requires parental consent for older teenagers to use social media platforms. While critics argue that it violates free speech protections and infringes on parental rights, supporters believe that it will help address mental health issues stemming from excessive social media use. The bill also places guidelines on social media platforms to delete personal information from terminated accounts and allows for civil lawsuits in case of non-compliance.
