Florida enacts law banning social media for children under 14

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has signed into law a bill aimed at protecting children from potential mental health risks associated with social media. The legislation, passed by the state's Republican-led legislature, prohibits children under the age of 14 from accessing social media platforms and mandates parental consent for 14- and 15-year-olds.

Under the new law, social media platforms are required to terminate accounts of users under 14 and those of individuals under 16 who lack parental consent. Additionally, platforms must implement a third-party verification system to screen out underage users.

Originally, the bill proposed banning children under 16 from social media entirely, but DeSantis vetoed this version, citing concerns about limiting parental rights. The amended bill now permits parents to grant consent for older children to use social media.

Scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2025, the legislation aims to address concerns about the negative impacts of excessive social media use on children's mental well-being, including anxiety and depression.
Supporters argue that the measure will help mitigate the harmful effects of social media on children's mental health. However, critics contend that it infringes upon First Amendment rights to free speech and argue that parental discretion, not government intervention, should dictate children's online activities.

Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, opposed the legislation, expressing concerns about data privacy and parental discretion. The company supports federal legislation and advocates for securing parental approval for children's app downloads.

The bill targets social media platforms with features such as "infinite scrolling," reaction metrics like likes, auto-play videos, live-streaming, and push notifications. However, it exempts platforms primarily focused on email, messaging, or texting.

In addition to requiring the deletion of personal information from terminated accounts, the law permits parents to pursue civil lawsuits against platforms that fail to comply.

Florida joins several other states, including Utah, Arkansas, Louisiana, Ohio, and Texas, in enacting laws to regulate children's access to social media. Numerous other states are reportedly considering similar measures, according to legislative analysis.