Mar 26, 2024 11:22:00

The governor signs a bill that prohibits people under 14 from using SNS and requires 14 to 15-year-olds to have parental consent to use SNS.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has signed a bill banning children under the age of 14 from participating in social media. Once the law goes into effect, social media companies will have to remove accounts of people under the age of 14.

CS/CS/HB 3 | FLORIDA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
(PDF file)

https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2024/3/BillText/er/PDF

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs bill that bans children under 14 from having social media accounts
https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/florida-ron-desantis-signs-bill-social-media-kids-ban-rcna144950

Florida's DeSantis signs social media law requiring age verification - The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/25/24087979/florida-desantis-social-media-age-verification-parental-consent-law

Governor DeSantis, who is running for the Republican primary in the 2024 presidential election and has enacted the ``

Law Prohibiting LGBT Education for Children Under the Age of 10 in Schools '' and the ``Law Regulating the Use of SNS Accounts by Election Candidates, '' has announced the new signed HB3, a bill that bans people under 14 from using SNS. HB3 is scheduled to be issued in January 2025, and by law companies operating social networking sites will be required to take measures such as deleting accounts of Florida residents under the age of 14.

Companies that fail to delete accounts may be sued on behalf of children who have created accounts on the platform. According to the bill, damages of up to $10,000 (approximately 1.5 million yen) may be required.

The bill would require many apps and websites to verify the age of their users. Although age verification raises privacy concerns, the bill requires social networks to provide an 'anonymous age verification' option that uses third-party verification services that do not store personal information. Age authentication can be performed without checking the user's personal information.

Additionally, children aged 14 and 15 will need parental consent before creating a social media account.

HB3 was submitted in response to concerns that the safety measures put in place by social networking sites do not fully protect children. Proponents of the new law said, ``The use of social networking sites is harmful to children's mental health, and sexual predators are 'It could lead to contact with adults,' he said, welcoming the bill.

On the other hand, the high-tech industry group NetChoice, which includes Meta and others, has opposed this bill, arguing that ``if SNS collects users' personal information, it will endanger the privacy of residents.'' has asked Governor DeSantis to veto the bill. Governor DeSantis once vetoed a stricter bill that would have ``banned social media use by people under the age of 16,'' but said he did so because ``a better bill will be submitted soon.'' It is said that it was. That bill was the version signed by Governor DeSantis that prohibits children under 14 years of age and requires parental consent for 14- to 15-year-olds.

Laws similar to HB3 have already been enacted in states such as Ohio and Arkansas, but both have been challenged by NetChoice. HB3 may also face legal challenges due to claims that it violates the First Amendment, which provides freedom of expression and speech.

NetChoice General Counsel Carl Szabo called HB3 unconstitutional, calling HB3 unconstitutional. There has to be a better way to keep it secure without compromising it.'