In the coming months, people under 16 in the state will be banned from participating in social media and all existing accounts will be deleted, thanks to a bill passed by the Florida Legislature on Thursday, making it one of the strictest social media bans in the country. Become one of the. Barring a possible veto and almost certain legal challenge.
But it passed the bill without Gov. Ron DeSantis’ blessing and without specifying which platforms would be banned. Tick-tock? Facebook? X (Twitter)? Instagram? Youtube?
Florida lawmakers have long sought to restrict minors’ access to social media, citing concerns about bullying, sex trafficking, depression and suicide among young people. A similar bill failed in 2023, but it remained a top priority for House Speaker Paul Renner (R-Palm Coast).
Earlier this year, the Florida House bill needed amendments in the Senate to allay some of DeSantis’ concerns about privacy, but it passed the Senate on Thursday and the governor believes the bill has not yet become law. It was passed a few hours after the statement was made. There is no change in the hospital. It now goes to DeSantis’ desk.
What does the Florida HB 1 social media bill do?
HB 1 (Online Protection for Minors):
- Require social media platforms to prohibit children under the age of 15 from creating new accounts, terminate existing accounts believed to be held by children under the age of 15, and encourage parents and children to terminate accounts. Requires that requests be made.
- Requires social media platforms to verify the age of account holders using reasonable age verification methods, disclose specified policies, and provide specified resources, actions, and disclaimers. .
- Authorizes the Department of Law (DLA) to bring violations under the Florida Deception and Unfair Trade Practices Act.
- Penalties will be imposed.
- We declare that all social media platforms accessible in the State of Florida are subject to the jurisdiction of the state courts.
Supporters of the bill say the goal is not to keep kids off platforms, but to force platforms to change their addictive practices.
HB 1 also requires people visiting sites with adult content to verify their age through an anonymous third-party service.
Which social media sites does HB 1 target?
It’s a good question, but lawmakers are avoiding answering it.
Instead, the bill seeks to define the qualities and practices that social media platforms must be subject to the bill. This bill aims to regulate online forums, websites, or applications that do any of the following:
- Use algorithms to select and display content based on user information
- Use “addictive features” such as
- infinite scroll
- Push notifications or alerts
- Visible markers for clicks, likes and reposts
- Videos that play without the user clicking the play button
- Live streaming function
- At least 10% of users are under the age of 15 and spend an average of at least 2 hours per day on the platform
The bill excludes sites and services for email and direct messaging purposes.
What are the penalties for social media platforms?
The bill would declare willful violations by social media platforms to be “unfair and deceptive trade practices,” and would impose civil penalties of up to $50,000 per violation, plus attorney fees and court costs. It is said that Continued violations may result in punitive damages.
If a social media platform fails to terminate an account after a request from the minor account holder or his or her parent or guardian, the social media platform may be liable for damages up to $10,000, plus attorney fees and court costs.
The bill also authorizes fines of up to $50,000 for each violation of third-party age verification services that violate the bill.
Sites and services that contain “content harmful to minors” can be subject to civil penalties of $10,000 to $50,000 per violation for each user under 18 who is allowed access to the platform There is a gender.
What should I do if my account is accidentally deleted under the bill?
The bill would give account holders a minimum of 90 days to appeal and verify their age.
When does the social media ban on minors go into effect?
If the bill is signed by the governor, the new law would go into effect on July 1, 2024.
What did Ron DeSantis think about this bill? Will he veto it?
In the hours leading up to the Florida Senate and Florida House passing the bill, Gov. Ron DeSantis said he was hesitant about the bill because there was no option for parents to prioritize.
“Parents need to play a role in this as well,” DeSantis said at a news conference. “I think parents are concerned about social media and what’s going on there and think that’s the problem. But I also think that for high school students, the problem is not that simple.”
DeSantis previously said he would not support the bill if he didn’t think it would pass “legal muster.” Similar less restrictive laws in other states are being challenged in court.
In response to a question at a press conference about semiconductor manufacturing in Kissimmee, DeSantis said, “The law says that no one over the age of 15 can own it under any circumstances, even if they have parental consent.” There is a possibility that problems may arise.”
“I’m concerned about the breadth of that, and I want to empower parents and give them the tools to be able to do that, so I think we need to be smart about how we do it. I think so,” he added.
DeSantis has not said whether he will sign HB1. Under Florida law, he has seven days to sign or veto the bill. If he vetoes the bill, a two-thirds majority of both chambers would be required to overturn it.