Culture
26 Mar 24

New Florida law bans children under 14 from social media

Signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis, the bill calls for all social media platforms to delete the accounts of children under 14 and introduces fines of up to $50,000 for violations.

A sweeping new Florida law entitled HB3 will bar all children under the age of 14 from joining or engaging in social media starting next year. Signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis, the bill mandates that social media companies delete all accounts belonging to users under 14.

Children aged 14 to 15 will also be required to obtain parental consent before creating accounts on platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat.

Companies found in violation of the law risk being sued for up to $50,000 per violation, with the minor involved awarded up to $10,000 in damages.

Previous versions of the bill, which DeSantis vetoed, had been more restrictive than HB3, listing a social media age limit of 16 rather than 14. The bill had also required Florida residents to submit government issued identification in order to sign up for a platform.

Governor Ron DeSantis Signs HB3 to Protect Children from the Harms of Social Media https://t.co/9nylhaOIXI

— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) March 25, 2024

“Our bill is focused on addiction,” House Speaker Paul Renner said on Monday during the bill’s official signing. “Unlike an adult who can make an adult decision … a child in their brain development doesn’t have the ability to know they are being sucked in to these addictive technologies, and to see the harm and step away from it.”

Slated to take effect in January 2025, the law targets platforms that enlist addictive strategies such as infinite scrolling, personalised algorithms and instant notifications, alongside harmful content that "lack[s] serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for minors," as explained in the bill.

"The internet has become a dark alley for our children where predators target them and dangerous social media leads to higher rates of depression, self-harm, and even suicide," Renner wrote in a recent social media post.

While HB3 supporters expect heavy pushback from social media firms who claim that the bill violates the US Constitution, both DeSantis and Renner announced their support with full confidence.

“We not only satisfied me, but we also satisfied, I think, a fair application of the law and Constitution,” said DeSantis.