Florida Governor Ron DeSantis — Courtesy: Shutterstock — Hunter Crenian
On Monday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill that forbids minors under the age of 14 from using social media within the state. Before using a platform, children under the age of 14 or 15 must get their parent’s approval.
Additionally, the HB3 bill mandates that social media platforms remove any active accounts belonging to anyone under the age of 14. Businesses who don’t comply risk being sued on behalf of the minor who registers for an account on the website. The bill stipulates that the kid may get damages of up to $10,000. Businesses that are found to have broken the law may also be responsible for legal fees and court costs, in addition to fines of up to $50,000 per infraction.
During the bill-signing ceremony, DeSantis stated, “In the end, [we’re] trying to help parents navigate this very difficult terrain that we have now with raising kids, so I appreciate the work that’s been put in.”
A more stringent version of the law that would have prohibited children under the age of 16 from having social media accounts was previously vetoed by DeSantis. Additionally, the bill mandated that citizens of Florida provide identification or other identifying documents in order to use social media.
With HB3 set to go into effect in January 2025, attempts to control social media are intensifying nationwide as a result of worries expressed by some parents that the platforms aren’t doing enough to protect their children online.
Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., received a letter from more than 200 organizations in December pleading with him to set up a vote on the Kids Online Safety Act, or KOSA. The bill aims to establish liability, or a “duty of care,” for apps and online platforms that suggest content to minors that may have a detrimental impact on their mental health.
The CEOs of TikTok, X, and Meta were questioned by MPs in January on online child safety. The tech CEOs reiterated their dedication to ensuring the protection of children and cited the range of tools available as instances of their proactive efforts to stop child exploitation on the internet.
Speaker of the Florida House Paul Renner and other proponents of the new law contend that using social media can have negative effects on children’s mental health and increase the likelihood that sexual predators will approach kids.
Renner stated after the bill signing that “none of us can afford to be on the sidelines when it comes to social media.”
A consortium of social media companies called NetChoice LLC, whose members include Meta, Google, and X among others, has filed challenges against laws restricting teen use of social media in several states, including Ohio and Arkansas.
It is also anticipated that legal challenges to Florida’s statute would be made on the grounds that it is unconstitutional.
In an email, Carl Szabo, vice president and general counsel of NetChoice, expressed his disappointment that Gov. DeSantis had chosen this course of action and referred to the bill as “unconstitutional.” “Without impairing their freedoms, there are better ways to keep Floridians, their families, and their data safe and secure online.”
In their remarks, DeSantis and Renner both mentioned the possible legal obstacles that lie ahead.
“You will not find a line in this bill that addresses good speech or bad speech because that would violate the First Amendment,” Renner stated. “We haven’t talked about that at all. We have focused on the addictive elements that are the main cause of kids spending endless amounts of time on these sites.”
“We’re going to beat them, and we’re never ever going to stop,” he said, explicitly referring to NetChoice.
DeSantis claimed that the bill complies with the constitution.
He declared, “I veto any bill that I see if I don’t think it’s constitutional.” “A fair application of the law and Constitution,” was how he put the bill.
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Chris began his writing as a hobby while attending Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida. Today he and his wife live in the Orlando area with their three children and dog.
