Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation banning social media accounts for children under the age of 14.

The bill also requires 14 and 15-year-olds to obtain parental consent before accessing social media platforms.

According to NBC News, the bill also directs social media companies to delete the existing accounts of users under 14 years of age.

Per NBC News:

Companies that fail to do so could be sued on behalf of the child who creates an account on the platform. The minor could be awarded up to $10,000 in damages, according to the bill. Companies found to be in violation of the law would also be liable for up to $50,000 per violation, as well as attorney’s fees and court costs.

“Ultimately, [we’re] trying to help parents navigate this very difficult terrain that we have now with raising kids, and so I appreciate the work that’s been put in,” DeSantis said in remarks during the bill-signing ceremony.

DeSantis previously vetoed a more restrictive version of the bill that would have banned social media accounts for kids under 16. That bill also required Florida residents to submit an ID or other identifying materials in order to join social media.

“Today, Governor Ron DeSantis signed HB 3, which prohibits children under the age of 14 from becoming social media account holders and allows 14- and 15-year-olds to become account holders with parental consent,” Gov. DeSantis’s office said in a press release.

“Social media harms children in a variety of ways,” DeSantis said.

“HB 3 gives parents a greater ability to protect their children. Thank you to Speaker Renner for delivering this landmark legislation,” he added.

“The internet has become a dark alley for our children where predators target them and dangerous social media leads to higher rates of depression, self-harm, and even suicide,” said Florida House Speaker Paul Renner.

“I am proud of the work of all our bill sponsors, Representatives Tyler Sirois, Fiona McFarland, Michele Rayner, Chase Tramont, and Toby Overdorf for delivering a legislative framework that prioritizes keeping our children safe. Thanks to Governor DeSantis’ signature, Florida leads the way in protecting children online as states across the country fight to address these dangers,” he added.

Cont. from the press release:

Specifically, this bill:

  • Prevents a minor who is younger than 14 years of age from becoming a social media account holder.
  • Empowers parents to decide whether 14- and 15-year-olds can have a social media account.
  • Protects the ability of Floridians to remain anonymous online.

In addition to protecting children from the dangers of social media, HB 3 requires pornographic or sexually explicit websites to use age verification to prevent minors from accessing sites that are inappropriate for children.

WATCH:

The Verge reports:

The bill also requires many commercial apps and websites to verify their users’ ages — something that introduces a host of privacy concerns. But it does require websites to give users the option of “anonymous age verification,” which is defined as verification by a third party that cannot retain identifying information after the task is complete. The requirement kicks in when a commercial site contains a “substantial portion of material harmful to minors,” defined as more than a third of content on the site, which would clearly target porn sites in particular. Such sites must ensure users are 18 or older — though news sites are exempt from the requirement. Violations are also subject to an up to $50,000 civil penalty each.

Tech industry groups have already come out against the legislation. NetChoice — an association representing major social media platforms that’s already embroiled in a Supreme Court battle with the state over a separate social media law — said before HB 3 was signed that it “in effect will impose an ‘I.D. for the Internet’ on any Floridian who wants to use an online service—regardless of their age.”

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