Florida - Thursday January 25, 2024: The Florida House of Representatives Wednesday passed a bill banning access to social media platforms for children under the age of 16.
Only 12 of the 120 members of the state House voted against the measure, all of them Democrats. If passed by the state Senate, and signed by the Governor, the measure
would take effect July 1, although it is expected to be challenged in court which could delay implementation.
House Bill 1 was introduced by Representatives Tyler Sirois, a Republican from Merritt Island, Sarasota Republican Fiona McFarland, and Michele Rayner, a Democrat from St. Petersburg.
The bill would require social media platforms to employ commercially reasonable age verification methods.
The sponsors said the intent of their measure is to protect children from addictive social media platforms and the danger they pose to mental health. They cite reports that these social media platforms intentionally use design features, including addictive algorithms and infinite scrolling, to keep users hooked for excessive amounts of time. In addition proponents of the bill say that studies have shown that overuse of social media has been shown to have a detrimental impact on children’s mental health and well-being.
“You don’t have to be a parent of a young person to understand the addictive nature of social media platforms,” said Representative Sirois. “Even our children know social media is harming them, but due to addiction and peer pressure, they are unable to step away."
“Social media platforms are addictive by design. Combine that with intense social pressures, bullying, and harassment, and it’s no wonder our kids’ mental health is declining. This bill puts an end to that, because social media companies have not,” said Representative McFarland.
“In the state of Florida, we’re saying, ‘Enough is enough.’ We will not allow social media companies to build a business on the backs of our children,” said Representative Michele Rayner. “Protecting kids is not a partisan issue."
“We must address the harmful effects social media platforms have on the development and well-being of our kids,” said Speaker Paul Renner (R-Palm Coast). “Florida has a compelling state interest and duty to protect our children, their mental health, and their childhood. I’m grateful to the members of this body for their decisive action to fight for our kids and their ability to thrive.”
For more information on HB 1, visit www.myfloridahouse.gov.