Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has banned children below the age of 14 from owning social media accounts.
Effective January 1, 2025, the law is known as HB 3, and it also mandates parental consent for children aged 14 to 16 to own such accounts.
“Social media harms children in a variety of ways. HB 3 gives parents a greater ability to protect their children,” The governor said.
However, the new law is expected to face legal challenges, particularly related to First Amendment rights.
Tech industry group NetChoice, representing companies like Meta, Google, and TikTok, has raised concerns about the extensive data collection required to comply with the law, citing potential privacy risks for Floridians.
“There are better ways to keep Floridians, their families and their data safe and secure online without violating their freedoms,” Carl Szabo, NetChoice vice president and general counsel said in a statement.
Florida is not alone in its efforts to regulate young people’s access to social media. Other states, including Arkansas, Louisiana, Ohio, and Utah, have debated or passed similar bills amid growing concerns over the impact of platforms like Instagram on teenagers’ mental health.
California is also considering legislation aimed at protecting children from social media addiction, reflecting a broader trend of governments worldwide seeking to impose stricter regulations on the tech industry.
The European Union recently imposed fines and enacted new rules to address competition and interoperability issues among tech giants like Apple, Alphabet, and Meta.
In the United States, concerns about social media’s impact on national security have also prompted action.
President Joe Biden has expressed support for legislation that could potentially block TikTok, citing concerns about possible interference from the Chinese government.
DeSantis, who has previously voiced support for a TikTok ban, vetoed an earlier version of Florida’s law that would have banned children under 16 from holding certain social media accounts altogether.
