Achi news desk-
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law Monday banning the use of social media platforms by children under the age of 13, paving the way for critics to begin a legal battle in court.
The bill was passed by the Republican-dominated lawmakers with the support of the Democrats this month under the name House Bill 3 (2024).
According to the new law, children would not be able to create their social media accounts, and the platforms would be required to remove the profiles of those under 14.
The law comes into force on 1 January 2025.
However, 14 and 15-year-olds would need their parents’ consent, along with banning minors from accessing adult websites. The children would also be required to prove their age.
Florida joins the club of states like California and Arkansas, which have enforced such laws citing an increase in depression among teenagers.
However, the laws have not been enforced by the states. Florida also anticipates a legal battle that could ban law enforcement.
Last year in October, Florida and California along with dozens of other states filed a lawsuit against social media giants including Meta citing mental harm to children underscoring the “intentional youth mental health crisis”.
Their lawsuit also claimed that there are Facebook and Instagram design features that drive children to their platforms. The states also claimed that these sites were collecting data on children under 13 without consent.
