Florida’s Legislature passed a bill restricting social media use for young people under 16 on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. The measure awaits Gov. Ron DeSantis’ signature, potentially impacting millions of youth in Florida. However, similar laws in Arkansas and Ohio faced challenges due to free speech and access rights violations.
The new rules in Florida would prevent underage users from signing up for accounts on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube. Other states have enacted laws requiring parental permission for minors, but Florida’s ban goes further by restricting access to popular social media apps and shielding minors from harmful content.
Gov. DeSantis acknowledged social media’s negative impact on youth but emphasized parental supervision. Civil liberties groups and tech organizations argue that such restrictions limit access to information and community for young people. The bipartisan trend of regulating social media has gained momentum in response to concerns about mental health and safety risks.
State regulators highlight the issue of underage children providing false information to create social media accounts. Proponents of the Florida law propose age verification measures to prevent this. Conservative experts support the bill for relieving parental pressure to allow social media access to children and addressing concerns of social isolation.
Critics caution that these restrictions could limit teenagers’ access to news and information on various topics. They argue that such laws may hinder adolescents from engaging in political, health, and identity-related discussions online.
