Florida’s governor has signed a law banning the use of social media by children under the age of 14.
The legislation, passed by the US state legislature, was vetoed in its original form by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis because it would have announced a total ban under 16 years. According to the compromise amendment of the text, the use of social networking sites is prohibited for children under the age of 14, while parental consent is required between the ages of 14 and 16.
Florida lawmakers intend for the legislation to take effect on January 1, 2025, but its enforceability faces practical obstacles and is expected to undergo legality review.
The legislators who initiated the legislation are confident that the law will stand the test of court proceedings, because it does not target content, but does not consider, for example, automatic notifications and videos that also start automatically, which can cause addiction, to be acceptable.
Florida’s new law is one of the strictest in the United States regarding the use of social networking sites. In the state of Arkansas, the creation of social media accounts was legally tied to parental consent for minors, which was suspended by a federal judge last August.
(debrecen.hu)
