Social media harms children in many different ways - Illustration: GETTY IMAGES
The new law, known as HB 3, also requires children aged 14-16 to have parental consent before they can own social media accounts.
HB 3 also requires age verification for anyone wishing to access pornographic websites. The law takes effect on January 1, 2025.
"Social media harms children in many different ways. HB3 gives parents a better ability to protect their children," Governor Ron DeSantis said in a statement on March 25.
NBC News reports that the new law is expected to face legal challenges related to the First Amendment, which prohibits the enactment of laws that disrespect people's freedoms in certain matters.
The technology group NetChoice, which is affiliated with Meta, Google, X, and TikTok, has urged Governor DeSantis to veto the bill.
Carl Szabo, vice president and general counsel of NetChoice, emphasized: "There are better ways to keep Floridaers, their families, and their data safe and secure online without violating their freedoms."
Preventing children from becoming addicted to social media.
Florida is the latest state to debate or pass legislation restricting young people's use of social media. This development stems from concerns following leaked research from Facebook itself, which suggests Instagram may have a negative impact on teenagers' mental health.
Other states that have introduced similar bills include Arkansas, Louisiana, Ohio, and Utah.
California is also considering a similar bill called Protecting Children from Social Media Addiction, funded by the state attorney general and co-authored by a group of bipartisan state senators.
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