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Florida Bans Social Media for Kids

posted by janrinok on Friday March 29 2024, @09:56PM   

c0lo writes:

Florida's DeSantis signs law restricting social media for people under 16

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Monday signed a bill that bans children aged under 14 from social media platforms and requires 14- and 15-year-olds to get parental consent, a measure supporters say will protect them from online risks to their mental health.

The measure requires social media platforms to terminate the accounts of people under 14 and those of people under 16 who do not have parental consent. It requires them to use a third-party verification system to screen out those who are underage.

The amended version allows for parents to provide consent for older children to engage on social media platforms. It will become law on Jan. 1, 2025.

[...] "Social media harms children in a variety of ways," DeSantis said in a statement. He said the legislation "gives parents a greater ability to protect their children."

[...] Critics have said the bill violates the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment protections for free speech and that parents, not the government, should make decisions about the online presence of their children of all ages.

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Original Submission

• Re:Chances of this law's survival (Score: 4, Informative) by mendax on Saturday March 30 2024, @01:00AM

  by mendax (2840) on Saturday March 30 2024, @01:00AM (#1350952)

  Does it though? I could see a lawyer arguing that as stated the law doesn't target individuals at all and that it doesn't limit speech - it simply requires companies to perform certain actions.

  Yeah, but if that action is to identify yourself which is the only way to prove you are an adult, it's no longer anonymous speech. May I direct you to McIntyre v. Ohio Elections Comm'n, 514 U.S. 334 (1995) [wikipedia.org], my favorite First Amendment case, one that discusses the unconstitutionality of laws that ban anonymous speech? Clarence Thomas's concurrence, probably originally written in crayon, is worth reading despite the dubious character of its author.

  The 2nd amendment also makes no mention of age at all, but no-one has a problem with the fact that many laws stop children buying guns.

  True, but numerous courts have ruled that kids have unfettered First Amendment rights. The only limitation I am aware of is when what they say occurs on school grounds and interferes with the discipline and good order of the school.

  --
  It's really quite a simple choice: Life, Death, or Los Angeles.

  Parent

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