TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida could have one of many nation’s most restrictive social media bans for minors — if it withstands anticipated authorized challenges — below a invoice signed by Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday.
The invoice will ban social media accounts for kids below 14 and require parental permission for 15- and 16-year-olds. It was barely watered down from a proposal DeSantis vetoed earlier this month, every week earlier than the annual legislative session ended.
The brand new regulation was Republican Speaker Paul Renner’s prime legislative precedence. It takes impact Jan. 1.
The invoice DeSantis vetoed would have banned minors below 16 from well-liked social media platforms no matter parental consent. However earlier than the veto, he labored out compromise language with Renner to alleviate the governor’s issues and the Legislature despatched DeSantis a second invoice.
A number of states have thought of related laws. In Arkansas, a federal choose blocked enforcement of a regulation in August that required parental consent for minors to create new social media accounts.
Supporters in Florida hope the invoice will face up to authorized challenges as a result of it might ban social media codecs primarily based on addictive options comparable to notification alerts and auto-play movies, moderately than on their content material.