Florida House Approves Legislation Prohibiting Social Media Accounts for Children Under 16

A bill passed by the House on Wednesday would ban Florida children under the age of 16 from popular social media platforms, regardless of parent approval. This measure is a top priority for the chamber’s speaker.

The bill does not list which platforms would be affected, but it targets any social media site that tracks user activity, allows children to upload material and interact with others, and uses addictive features designed to cause excessive or compulsive use. The bill would not affect apps used for private messages between individuals.

Republican Rep. Tyler Sirois, the bill sponsor, stated, “They’re taking advantage of kids growing up. That’s their business model. And why do they do it? To keep them hooked … with the dopamine hits that the platform gives our children with every autoplay, with every like, with every push notification.”

The bill passed with a vote of 106-13, with several Democrats joining Republicans in support. Proponents argued that social media exposes children to bullying and sexual predators and can lead to depression, suicide, and an addictive obsession.

Meta, the company that owns Facebook, Instagram, and other social media platforms, urged the House to seek another solution, such as requiring parental approval to download apps. It also wants the issue addressed on a federal level rather than a patchwork of different state laws.

Other states have considered similar legislation, but most have not proposed a total ban. In Arkansas, a federal judge blocked enforcement of a law in August that required parental consent for minors to create new social media accounts.

Republican House Speaker Paul Renner, who has made the issue his top priority, said the Florida bill should withstand constitutional scrutiny because it targets the addictive features of social media, and not the content.

The Florida bill would require social media companies to close any accounts used by minors and to cancel accounts at the request of a minor or parents. Any information pertaining to the account must be deleted.

Opponents argued that the bill would violate the First Amendment and take away benefits some children get from social media. And they said parents should make the decisions on which sites their children can visit.

Democratic Rep. Anna Eskamani said social media was an outlet and comfort where she could find support after her mother died when she was 13. She expressed concerns about the broad solution proposed by the bill, stating, “I just find the solution that you propose too broad and casts a wide a net with unintended consequences.”