The new law is similar to efforts in other states, and will almost assuredly be met by a lawsuit from the tech industry.
Florida’s legislation represents a compromise between Gov. Ron DeSantis and lawmakers, led by House Speaker Paul Renner, who initially proposed enacting the strictest social media prohibitions in the country. | Francis Chung/POLITICOTALLAHASSEE, Florida — Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation Monday aimed at kicking minors off social media, putting the final stamp on a top Florida Republican priority that is widely expected to face legal challenges from the tech industry.
The original bill, vetoed by DeSantis earlier this month, would have blocked all minors younger than 16 from many social media platforms. The law DeSantis ultimately signed Monday gives parents the power to grant 14- and 15-year-olds consent to use the applications. Florida’s social media law also targets children accessing online adult content by requiring websites that publish materials “harmful to minors” to take steps to verify age to prevent anyone younger than 18 from accessing them — a policy expected to face blowback, especially from the pornography industry.
One vocal critic of Florida’s legislation, NetChoice, a trade group associated with Meta, TikTok and X, claims the law is ripe for a court challenge. The group, which has sued states over similar laws and urged for a DeSantis veto, claims the Florida policy creates “ID for the internet” and puts restrictions on all Floridians regardless of age.
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