Bill HB 3 will be a new chapter in the book of online parenting.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed Bill HB 3, which prohibits children under the age of 13 from creating social media accounts. The law also requires parental consent for 14-15-year-olds who want to set up accounts. According to DeSantis, this is necessary to protect children from the harmful effects of social media on their mental health.
According to the new law, social networks must block the accounts of users under the age of 13 and delete all their personal information. Violators face fines and detentions under the Unfair Trade Practices Act. Parents will also be able to sue if their child's data has not been deleted.
Proponents of the initiative claim that frequent use of social networks is associated with increased levels of depression, anxiety and stress among adolescents, as well as with the spread of online pornography. Florida House Speaker Paul Renner called the Internet "a dark alley where predators are waiting for our children."
The law covers social platforms that use various methods of user engagement. This includes apps that have an endless news feed, auto-play videos, display individual activity metrics, and send out push notifications. An exception is made to services designed exclusively for exchanging personal messages.
Critics, including the association NetChoice, which unites Meta, X, TikTok and other companies, accuse the authorities of Florida of interfering with the rights of parents and violating freedom of speech. Critics intend to challenge the bill, claiming that it creates new problems with data privacy, because the age will have to be verified with the involvement of third parties. You may need to upload photos, verify your identity, or use facial recognition technologies.
Meta supports the federal law that requires apps to be installed with parental permission, but strongly criticizes the Florida initiative. In January, Meta introduced new security features for teens on its platforms, including enhanced parental controls.
In early March, Governor DeSantis vetoed the original version of the bill, which completely banned social networks for children under 16, considering it an excessive restriction. After completion, an updated version of HB 3 was adopted on March 25. Thus, Florida became one of the first US states after Utah to regulate minors ' access to social platforms.
The law will come into force on January 1, 2025. According to data for 2023, social networks were used by about 4.9 billion people worldwide, with more than a third of American teenagers aged 13-17 reporting that they use them "almost constantly."
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed Bill HB 3, which prohibits children under the age of 13 from creating social media accounts. The law also requires parental consent for 14-15-year-olds who want to set up accounts. According to DeSantis, this is necessary to protect children from the harmful effects of social media on their mental health.
According to the new law, social networks must block the accounts of users under the age of 13 and delete all their personal information. Violators face fines and detentions under the Unfair Trade Practices Act. Parents will also be able to sue if their child's data has not been deleted.
Proponents of the initiative claim that frequent use of social networks is associated with increased levels of depression, anxiety and stress among adolescents, as well as with the spread of online pornography. Florida House Speaker Paul Renner called the Internet "a dark alley where predators are waiting for our children."
The law covers social platforms that use various methods of user engagement. This includes apps that have an endless news feed, auto-play videos, display individual activity metrics, and send out push notifications. An exception is made to services designed exclusively for exchanging personal messages.
Critics, including the association NetChoice, which unites Meta, X, TikTok and other companies, accuse the authorities of Florida of interfering with the rights of parents and violating freedom of speech. Critics intend to challenge the bill, claiming that it creates new problems with data privacy, because the age will have to be verified with the involvement of third parties. You may need to upload photos, verify your identity, or use facial recognition technologies.
Meta supports the federal law that requires apps to be installed with parental permission, but strongly criticizes the Florida initiative. In January, Meta introduced new security features for teens on its platforms, including enhanced parental controls.
In early March, Governor DeSantis vetoed the original version of the bill, which completely banned social networks for children under 16, considering it an excessive restriction. After completion, an updated version of HB 3 was adopted on March 25. Thus, Florida became one of the first US states after Utah to regulate minors ' access to social platforms.
The law will come into force on January 1, 2025. According to data for 2023, social networks were used by about 4.9 billion people worldwide, with more than a third of American teenagers aged 13-17 reporting that they use them "almost constantly."
