Ron DeSantis signs bill banning children under the age of 14 using social media

By Katelyn Caralle, U.S. Political Reporter For Dailymail.Com In Washington, Dc 18:37 25 Mar 2024, updated 21:32 25 Mar 2024

• Florida Gov. DeSantis signed on Monday a bill that would prevent children 13-years and younger from holding social media accounts 
• Require 14 and 15-year-olds to obtain parental consent to have accounts

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill Monday banning children under the age of 14 from having social media accounts in a move he claims will give parents more power to 'protect' their kids.

The law would allow 14 and 15-year-olds to use platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, if they have permission from their parents. 

Once 16, Floridians could have and use social media freely under the new law.

Nationwide, this law could be one of the most strict bans on social media use for minors.

The law puts the onus on social media companies to enforce the ban, and failure to do so could result in damages of anywhere between $10,000 and $50,000. 

The legislation also requires apps and websites to verify age, either from the user or anonymously through a third party. 

Previously, DeSantis vetoed a version of the bill that would ban anyone under 16 from social media platforms regardless of parental consent. He then worked out a compromise with Florida House Speaker Paul Renner to amend the age limits. 

'Social media harms children in a variety of ways,' DeSantis said upon signing the bill. 'HB 3 gives parents a greater ability to protect their children.' 

Privacy campaigners have criticized the legislation, claiming it will mean any Floridian will need an ID to access the internet, even if they are over 16.  

The crackdown comes as Congress is also pushing through a bill that would essentially ban TikTok from U.S. app stores if it is not sold off from its Chinese parent company.

Lawmakers want TikTok divested from the Asian country as a way to ensure U.S. data is not compromised by the Chinese Communist Party through the widely popular video sharing social media platform.

The House voted through this month the proposal that would scrub TikTok from U.S. app stores and the Senate is now considering the same bill.  

Other states have considered laws similar to the one DeSantis signed on Monday.

A federal judge in Arkansas blocked in August the enforcement of a law that would require parental consent for minors to create new social media accounts.

For years Gov. DeSantis has promoted his policies in Florida, claiming that his state leads the nation in empowering parents and protecting children.

This includes his keystone Parental Rights in Education Bill that gives guardians more transparency and say in their childrens' public education and specifically in regards to teachings regarding sexual health and gender identity.

Many claim that his policies are more harmful to at-risk youth and those who identify as LGBTQ and have accused the governor of trying to ban books that cover certain sensitive materials.

There are concerns that this new law, while wearing the face of child protection, could actually strip parents of the right to decide whether or not their children can have social media accounts under the age of 14. 

The latest law would go into effect in January 1, 2025 and is meant as a way to protect children from harmful people and materials online.

'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 Speaker Renner.

'Thanks to Governor DeSantis' signature, Florida leads the way in protecting children online as states across the country fight to address these dangers.'

Beyond banning those under 14 from having their own social media account and under 16 from doing so without parental consent, HB 3 also requires pornographic websites to use age verification to prevent minors from accessing such content.