Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently signed into law a bill named HB 3 that imposes stricter guidelines on how children under 16 can use social media. The law prohibits children under 14 from participating in these platforms.
Under this bill, 14- and 15-year-olds require parental or guardian consent to create a social media account or use an existing one. The platforms must comply with requests to delete these accounts within five business days or face fines of up to $10,000 for each violation. This penalty increases to $50,000 per instance if the violation is deemed “knowing or reckless.”
The law mandates that anyone under 14 cannot create or use social media accounts in Florida. Platforms must remove pre-existing accounts and associated personal information. While the bill does not specify any social media platforms, it includes those with features like infinite scrolling, reaction metrics, live-streaming, and auto-play videos. Email platforms are exempt.
There is also an age verification requirement for websites or apps containing harmful material for users under 18. Visitors to such sites, like those featuring adult content, will need to verify their age through a specific platform on the site or a third-party system. News outlets are excluded from this provision.
The law goes into effect on January 1, but legal challenges are expected from social media companies, particularly related to First Amendment concerns. Other states like Arkansas, California, and Utah have also introduced similar legislation aimed at regulating children’s use of social media.
Overall, the law aims to protect children from harmful online content and addictive technologies. While some groups have criticized the legislation for possible privacy risks, supporters believe it is necessary to safeguard young users from the potential dangers of unrestricted social media access.
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