TALLAHASSEE, Fla. 鈥� Florida will have one of the country's most restrictive 鈥� if it withstands expected legal challenges 鈥� under a bill signed by Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday.
The bill will ban social media accounts for children under 14 and require parental permission for 14- and 15-year-olds. It was slightly watered down from a proposal DeSantis , a week before the annual legislative session ended.
The new law was Republican Speaker Paul Renner鈥檚 top legislative priority. It takes effect Jan. 1.
鈥淎 child in their brain development doesn鈥檛 have the ability to know that they鈥檙e being sucked into these addictive technologies and to see the harm and step away from it, and because of that we have to step in for them,鈥� Renner said at the bill-signing ceremony held at a Jacksonville school.
The bill DeSantis vetoed from popular social media platforms regardless of parental consent. But before the veto, he worked out compromise language with Renner to alleviate the governor's concerns and the Legislature sent DeSantis a second bill.
Several states have considered similar legislation. In Arkansas, a of a law that required parental consent for minors to create new social media accounts.
Supporters in Florida hope the bill will withstand legal challenges because it would ban social media formats based on addictive features such as notification alerts and auto-play videos, rather than on their content.
Renner said he expects social media companies to 鈥渟ue the second after this is signed. But you know what? We鈥檙e going to beat them. We鈥檙e going to beat them and we鈥檙e never, ever going to stop."
DeSantis also acknowledged the law will be challenged on First Amendment issues, and bemoaned the fact the 鈥淪top Woke Act鈥� he signed into law two years ago was with a majority of Republican-appointed judges. They ruled it violated free speech rights by banning private business from including discussions about racial inequality in employee training.
鈥淎ny time I see a bill, if I don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 constitutional, I veto it,鈥� said DeSantis, a lawyer, expressing confidence that the social media ban will be upheld. 鈥淲e not only satisfied me, but we also satisfied, I think, a fair application of the law and Constitution.鈥�
Kara Gross, legislative director of the ACLU of Florida, opposes the new law, saying it 鈥渞aises serious constitutional concerns and is unnecessary.鈥�
鈥淚f our lawmakers truly cared about the well-being of our children, they would be prioritizing expanding Medicaid access to struggling families, increasing school psychologists, ensuring access to affordable housing for families, and protecting families with minor children from facing eviction,鈥� .
鈥淭he last thing that our state needs is more censorship,鈥� she added.
Khara Boender, a state policy director for the Computer & Communications Industry Association, said in a news release that she understands the concern for online safety but expressed doubt the law will 鈥渕eaningfully achieve those goals without infringing on the First Amendment rights of younger users."
She also anticipated a legal challenge.
鈥淭his law could create substantial obstacles for young people seeking access to online information, a right afforded to all Americans regardless of age,鈥� Bonder said.
The bill overwhelmingly passed both chambers, with some Democrats joining a majority of Republicans who supported the measure. Opponents argued it is unconstitutional and government shouldn't interfere with decisions parents make with their children.
鈥淭his bill goes too far in taking away parents鈥� rights,鈥� Democratic Rep. Anna Eskamani said in a news release. 鈥淚nstead of banning social media access, it would be better to ensure improved parental oversight tools, improved access to data to stop bad actors, alongside major investments in Florida鈥檚 mental health systems and programs.鈥�
港澳天下彩News Staff contributed to this story.
