A federal judge has blocked Florida from enforcing a controversial law aimed at regulating social media use among minors while a legal challenge unfolds. U.S. District Judge Mark Walker granted that order today. This order blocks state officials from carrying out key provisions of the law that Republican Governor Ron DeSantis signed in 2022. As passed, this legislation is the most stringent in the country. It bans social media accounts for children under the age of 14 and parental permission for those aged 14 and 15.
The law has received much national attention for its extreme restrictions. Supporters claim that its purpose is to shield children from the dangerous impacts of social media. They argue that these impacts can have long-lasting detrimental effects. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier’s press secretary, Jae Williams, stated, “Florida parents voted through their elected representatives for a law protecting kids from the harmful and sometimes lifelong tragic impacts of social media. These platforms do not have a constitutional right to addict kids to their products.
Judge Walker’s ruling does not require a new provision, it allows one. Finally, it directs social media platforms to disable the accounts of children under 16 years old when a parent or guardian requests it. He emphasized that the broader prohibition on allowing certain age groups to have accounts “directly burdens those youths’ rights to engage in and access speech.” This continues a long history and tense juxtaposition between pro-child efforts and free speech protections.
The law has been met with bipartisan opposition from tech groups — including NetChoice, an internet trade organization. They claim that the law violates their first amendment free speech rights, and is unconstitutionally vague and burdensome. Logan Winkles, a passionate and effective opponent of the law, raised the alarm on the perils of social media. He underscored how it limits kids and said, “It’s not a free speech issue.”
Even as this legal battle plays out, we’re seeing more legislation like it popping up around the country. Georgia’s new law goes into effect on July 1, 2024. It will mandate social media age verification and parental consent for anyone using the platform who is less than 16 years old. U.S. District Judge Amy Totenberg is still hearing arguments over this new law and its real-world effects. She posed a thought-provoking question during the proceedings: “What makes today different from all other days?”
The debate and dissatisfaction behind these laws is symptomatic of larger, cultural fears as to the negative effects social media is having on our children. Supporting advocates claim the regulations address important mental health and safety issues. Opponents argue that these rules are an impermissible infringement on Americans’ personal freedoms.
The Washington, D.C. debate moves forward as stakeholders on both sides brace for more legal action.
