March 27th 2024.
The Florida Governor, Ron DeSantis, recently made a significant decision by signing a bill into law that aims to protect children from the potential dangers of social media. Under this new law, children under the age of 14 will not be allowed to have social media accounts, and any existing accounts for those under the age limit will be deleted by the social media platforms.
The bill, known as HB3 To Protect Children from the Harms of Social Media, states that only individuals over the age of 16 will have unrestricted access to social media. Teenagers between the ages of 14 and 15 will require parental consent to join popular websites like TikTok and Instagram. Governor DeSantis spoke at a bill-signing ceremony on March 25, which was captured and shared on Facebook Watch. He highlighted the concerning issue of internet predators as one of the main reasons for implementing this law.
"One of the top concerns for many parents is the influence of the internet and social media on their young children's upbringing," Governor DeSantis explained. "With the rise of social media, it's very easy for predators to gain access to our homes and harm our children, even when we think they are safe with us."
The law also holds social media companies accountable for underage accounts. If they fail to remove accounts of children under 14, they could face legal action on behalf of the child, with potential fines of up to $50,000 per violation and damages of $10,000 towards the child. However, some have raised concerns about the law's constitutionality, claiming that it violates the First Amendment. Carl Szabo, the vice president of NetChoice, called the law "unconstitutional."
"We are disappointed that Governor DeSantis has chosen this path," Szabo expressed in an email to NBC News. "There are other ways to ensure the safety and security of Floridians, their families, and their online data without violating their rights and freedoms."
Despite the opposition, Florida House Speaker Paul Renner defended the law, stating that it does not restrict freedom of speech but instead focuses on protecting children from potential harm on social media platforms. It's worth noting that Governor DeSantis initially vetoed a stricter version of the bill, which proposed raising the age limit to 16. However, after reaching a compromise with Renner, the age limit was lowered to 14.
Under HB3, new social media accounts will require age and identity verification, and this will also be mandatory for accessing pornographic websites, as reported by the Daily Mail. The law is set to take effect at the beginning of next year, and it's evident that Governor DeSantis and other lawmakers are taking steps to ensure the safety and well-being of Florida's children in the digital age.
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