Young woman using social media apps – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by: 13_Phunkod
On Wednesday, lawmakers in Florida advanced a bill that would make it illegal for young teenagers to have accounts on social media sites and mandate that all other users provide proof of age.
The law forbids minors under the age of sixteen from opening new online accounts and mandates that platforms remove any accounts that kids under the age of sixteen may already have. Additionally, it would mandate that social media businesses remove all personally identifiable information from user accounts and that users’ age be verified by a “nongovernmental, independent, third-party not affiliated with the social media platform.”
With a bipartisan vote of 106-13, the bill cleared the Florida House and is now headed to the Senate, which is controlled by Republicans.
Politico reports that Fiona McFarland, a Republican state senator who co-sponsored the proposal, stated on the house floor on Wednesday that “these dopamine hits are so addictive, it’s like a digital fentanyl.” “And even the most tech-savvy parent or aware adolescent finds it difficult to avoid these compulsive features.”
The US Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, issued a caution last year regarding the risks associated with social media use for children. “There are ample indicators that social media can also have a profound risk of harm to the mental health and wellbeing of children and adolescents,” he said, adding that further research was necessary to properly understand the consequences.
The bill states that anything that “utilizes addictive, harmful, or deceptive design features, or any other feature that is designed to cause an account holder to have an excessive or compulsive need to use or engage with the social media platform” would be subject to its provisions, though it does not specify which platforms in particular.
Several jurisdictions, including Florida, have recently made steps to restrict the amount of social media that minors are exposed to. Utah became the first state in the nation last year to outlaw the use of social media by minors under the age of eighteen without parental permission. Additionally, from 10.30 p.m. to 6.30 a.m., the state forbids minors from utilizing social media accounts. Utah is now being sued by an industry trade association regarding the statute.
Some states have mandated that the platforms implement child safety assessments and alter the algorithms that are presented to minors. On Wednesday, media was deemed a “public health hazard” by New York City as well.
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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.
