Florida made history on Monday by implementing a groundbreaking law that prohibits residents under the age of 14 from having accounts on popular social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Governor Ron DeSantis signed the bill, which aims to protect young people from potential mental health and safety risks associated with social media. The law also requires parental permission for 14- and 15-year-olds to have social media accounts.
While the new law has been praised for giving parents the ability to safeguard their children online, it is likely to face legal challenges regarding young people’s rights to access information freely and companies’ rights to distribute information. Similar laws in other states have been halted by federal judges on free speech grounds. The Florida statute also extends beyond social media, requiring online pornography services to use age-verification systems to prevent minors from accessing their platforms.
Despite existing age restrictions on platforms like Facebook and Snapchat, millions of underage children have been able to bypass them by providing false birthdates. The new law in Florida is a response to this issue, aiming to address the gaps in current regulations and protect young people from potential harm online. The government’s intention is to create a safer digital environment for children, acknowledging the need for stronger safeguards against the dangers of social media.