Lawmakers say they hope to protect children from addiction and online predators, and they insist the legislation does not violate the First Amendment.
Florida’s newest law cracks down on minors’ exposure to social media, in a move lawmakers say further elevates parental rights in the state and protects children from addiction, predators, and other dangers waiting in the digital realm.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed HB 3: Online Protections for Minors in Jacksonville on March 25, prohibiting minors under 14 from using social media, requiring parental consent for 14- and 15-year-olds, and mandating age verification on sites with “harmful” content such as pornography.
The law goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2025, and will require social media platforms to terminate all accounts known to be held by minors under 14 years of age or those who are 14 or 15 but don’t have parental consent, as well as all personal information held by the company.
There will be a 90-day window in which minors can dispute their accounts’ termination, but the platform will have five business days to terminate the account if requested by the minor and 10 business days to do so if the termination request is made by a parent or guardian.
Social media platforms could face legal action under the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, according to the new law, which includes facing civil penalties of up to $50,000 per violation.
Mr. DeSantis said parents and prosecutors understand that there are dangers out in the world and that if children are out on their own and unsupervised, they could be targeted by predators. But the online world has brought those dangers into the home, he said.
“You can have a kid in the house safe, seemingly, and then you have predators that can get right in there, into your own home,” he said.
The governor signed the legislation in the presence of state Attorney General Ashley Moody, state House Speaker Paul Renner, Education Commissioner Manny Díaz Jr., and several lawmakers. Speaking as parents, they identified those dangers as being child predators, as well as mental and emotional harms that range from addiction to depression and hopelessness.
By T.J. Muscaro
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