Florida’s governor has blocked legislation that would have banned minors from using social networks

Florida state governor Ron DeSantis decided to stop the law banning minors from using social networks. The controversial project, known as Law HB1, was officially vetoed by the head of the “Sunshine State”.

DeSantis flatly refused to sign the bill, saying he preferred to explore other options on the issue. By the way, the governor dropped his criteria on X.

“Protecting children from the harm associated with social media is important, as is upholding the rights of parents and preserving the ability of adults to engage in anonymous speech.”

The initiative in question would prohibit minors in Florida from creating accounts on social networks. In addition, this measure will serve as a basis for various companies to close accounts used by youth in that age range.

Fierce debate in Florida Legislature

Without a doubt, this bill has given the Florida Legislature a lot to debate and discuss. For example, in the Senate it received 23 votes in favor and 14 against, while in the House of Representatives it received 106 votes in favor and only 13 against.

In the discussion on the topic, the role of parents in monitoring their children’s use of social networks was basically discussed. Some senators said this responsibility should fall on parents.

Legislators are expected to introduce a new bill that could be a compromise to the version vetoed by DeSantis. This new bill will try to address concerns about the impact of social media on minors.

Several companies, including Facebook and Instagram’s parent Meta and popular technology company NetChoice, criticized the proposal. Both said it could be challenged in court because of potential constitutional flaws.