Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law Monday prohibiting the usage of social media platforms for kids under the age of 13, paving the way for critics to start a legal battle in court.
The bill was passed by the Republican-dominated legislators with the support of Democrats this month under the name House Bill 3 (2024).
According to the new law, kids 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 will be taking effect on January 1, 2025.
However, those of 14 and 15 years, would require their parents’ consent, alongside barring minors from accessing adult websites. The children would also be asked to prove their age.
Florida joins the club of states such as California and Arkansas, that have imposed such laws citing an uptick in depression in teens.
However, the laws by the states have not been enforced. Florida is also anticipating a legal battle that could bar the enforcement of the law.
Last year in October, Florida and California accompanied by dozens of other states filed a lawsuit against social media giants including Meta citing mental harm to children underlining the “deliberate youth mental health crisis”.
Their lawsuit also alleged that Facebook and Instagram design features that glue children to their platforms. The states also alleged that these sites collect data on under 13 children without consent.
