Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a law on Monday that aims to ban minors under the age of 16 from using the social network, at a time when the platform’s impact on young people is causing concern in the United States. The law, which will take effect next January in this state located in the south-east of the United States, will not allow people under the age of 14 to open an account on the social network. Adolescents between the ages of 14 and 15 will need parental consent to register on these platforms.
“We’re trying to help parents navigate very difficult territory.”, declared the Republican governor when signing the text. The speaker of the Florida House of Representatives and the project’s chief instigator, Paul Renner, welcomed the legislation’s adoption. “We know (…) that more crimes against children are committed on social networks than anywhere else”He declared. “We also know that social media is having a devastating effect on our children’s mental health.”.
Most platforms set a minimum age of 13 to open an account, but this rule is easy to circumvent. Some critics of the law say the onus is on parents, not authorities, to monitor their children’s social media use. Others worry about potential violations of the First Amendment to the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression.
Harmful Addiction
Paul Renner brushed aside these arguments, saying that platforms create harmful addictions. “Permanent Counseling, “Likes” and Hearts That Give a Little Hit of Dopamine” (…) Encourage people to stay online longer.
Ron De Santis rejected another bill banning the use of the network by those under 16, believing that the text did not sufficiently take into account the wishes of parents. The governor, an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination in the upcoming presidential election, has repeatedly said that parents should have more control over decisions about their children, especially in matters of education.
In Florida, like other states, lawmakers have tried to give parents more influence in areas considered controversial, such as classes on topics related to sexual orientation and gender identity.
