Late last month, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed HB3 into law. This bill bans the creation of social media accounts for children under the age of 14 and requires parental approval for 14 and 15-year-olds. The objective of the bill is to ensure the safety of young children, particularly given the addictive nature of social media. An intended byproduct of this will be greater data security for young teenagers.
This bill comes at a time where social media and the internet in general is coming under scrutiny by the government both at the state and national levels. In January, Congress held hearings where Members grilled senior-level officers of major social media companies like TikTok, Meta (Facebook and Instagram) and X (formerly Twitter). Moreover, a panel from Arkansas ruled that minors need parental consent to create any social media account. Where social media will be in five or ten years is not certain.
Concerns over the bill tend to surround the first amendment. Various spokespeople of the companies that would be hit the hardest made clear their company’s displeasure with the new law. It’s important to note that DeSantis and the majority of the Florida legislature are Republicans, and many Democratic leaders argue that this will limit access to freedom of speech for youngsters, a right guaranteed to all Americans by the First Amendment. Arguments have been made that this is another move in the culture war that has brought DeSantis at odds with Disney, libraries, teachers unions and many teenagers.
At the end of the day, the question of this bill is how much freedom we’re willing to give up for increased security for our children. This question will be answered in the coming months as lawsuits and appeals take place. The law is set to come into effect at the beginning of 2025.
