ORLANDO, Fla. – Florida lawmakers are pushing a bill in Tallahassee that would stop young people from using social media.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers are behind HB 1.
The bill would prevent anyone under 16 from creating new social media accounts, and force any existing accounts for children under 16 to be deleted.
The sponsors of the bill are concerned about data regarding how youth interact on social media, including addiction issues and how manipulated images can lead to perception issues and even dangerous behavior.
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The bill also does not include a way for parents to permit a child to be on social media, something other lawmakers had concerns about during a committee hearing Thursday.
“I have concerns over the lack of parental override,” said State Rep. Ashley Gantt, D-Miami. “We talk about parental control here in the state of Florida and so now it feels like the government is telling parents no really don’t have the ability to make the ultimate decisions in your children’s lives.”
Lawmakers also put more regulations in for social media platforms, including requiring better age verification systems, and information on the login page, including disclosure of addictive designs or manipulated images, information on whether the platform is selling children’s information from account, and to who, and also resources for suicide prevention.
Social media use among minors is a major priority for state lawmakers in Tallahassee this legislative session. Other bills would put different restrictions on social media use and on how social media platforms handle minors.
If signed into law, the bill would take effect on July 1.
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