The state of Florida passed a law, which Governor DeSantis signed, that bans children under the age of 14 from social media and requires parental consent for children aged 14 and 15.
Here’s more from Reuters:
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Monday signed a bill that bans children aged under 14 from social media platforms and requires 14- and 15-year-olds to get parental consent, a measure supporters say will protect them from online risks to their mental health.
The measure requires social media platforms to terminate the accounts of people under 14 and those of people under 16 who do not have parental consent. It requires them to use a third-party verification system to screen out those who are underage.
The state’s Republican-led legislature passed a bill in February that would have banned children under 16 from social media entirely. DeSantis, a Republican, vetoed that bill earlier this month, saying it limited parents’ rights.
The amended version allows for parents to provide consent for older children to engage on social media platforms. It will become law on July 1.
“Social media harms children in a variety of ways,” DeSantis said in a statement. He said the legislation “gives parents a greater ability to protect their children.”Supporters have said the legislation will stem the harmful effects of social media on the well-being of children who use such platforms excessively and may experience anxiety, depression and other mental illnesses as a result.
Critics have said the bill violates the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment protections for free speech and that parents, not the government, should make decisions about the online presence of their children of all ages.
Of course Meta opposed the legislation. Reuters reports that the new law only targets sites “that promote “infinite scrolling,” display reaction metrics such as likes, feature auto-play videos and have live-streaming and push notifications.”