The Florida House of Representatives approved a bill -HB 1- to restrict minors under 16 years of age from using social media. The bill doesn't specify which platforms are banned. The initiative, which will force companies to remove all profiles that are suspected of being used by minors, is moving on to the next stage thanks to the vote of the Republican caucus and some Democratic legislators (106 in favor and 13 against).
The sponsors of the bill - from the Republican Party - argued that social networks help harassers and child sexual predators get access to children, in addition to the fact that they can cause serious mental health problems such as depression or addiction. On the other hand, the representatives who opposed the legislation pointed out that the bill violates the First Amendment and that parents should be the ones to decide what their children can and cannot do.
In a post published after the bill's passage, Florida House Speaker Paul Renner thanked lawmakers who voted to protect minors from the "harmful effects" of social media:
We must address the harmful effects social media platforms have on the development and well-being of our kids. Florida has a compelling state interest and duty to protect our children, their mental health, and their childhood.
— Paul Renner (@Paul_Renner) January 24, 2024
"The truth is, people use these platforms to prey on our children," said Democratic Representative Kevin Chambliss, in statements reported by NBC. Her party colleague Michele Rayner, who also voted in favor of the bill, laid out several examples of the insults she received on social media following the death of her mother.
My mother is dead. May 18, 2023.
Thank you for your input. https://t.co/Y9YYTIPbng
— Michele Rayner (She/They/Tired) (@micheleforfl) January 24, 2024
Goal: "Florida risks putting its youth at a disadvantage"
One of the companies affected is Meta. Caulder Harvill-Childs, spokesperson for the parent company of platforms such as Instagram or Facebook, requested a review of the text and proposed, in statements transmitted by the Associated Press, other measures to not eliminate certain benefits that social networks can give to minors in Florida:
Many teens today leverage the internet and apps to responsibly gather information and learn about new opportunities, including part-time jobs, higher education, civic or church gatherings, and military service. By banning teens under 16, Florida risks putting its young people at a disadvantage versus teens elsewhere.
The bill affects platforms that allow users to post content such as videos or images, but not those intended for private messaging - such as WhatsApp. Now that the bill has been approved in the Florida House of Representatives, the bill will head to the state Senate for a vote. In the event that it passes, it will be sent to Governor Ron DeSantis for him to sign into law.
