2024-03-26 07:16:21
Published26. March 2024, 08:16
Child protection: Florida bans social media for those under 14 years old
The US state of Florida is getting serious about protecting minors: In the future, children under 14 will be prohibited from opening their own social media accounts.
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A new law called HB3 has come into effect in Florida, banning those under 14 from opening social media accounts.
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14 and 15 year olds now need their parents’ permission.
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The law also restricted access to sexually explicit websites.
In the US state of Florida, access to online platforms will be made more difficult for minors in the future. Governor Ron De Santis on Monday signed a law passed by the regional parliament that prohibits minors under the age of 14 from opening their own accounts on the online networks. 14 and 15 year olds need their parents’ consent to open such accounts.
Most platforms currently require that users be at least 13 years old. However, they do little to actually control this. “Social media harms children in different ways,” said Republican DeSantis. The new law gives parents greater opportunities to “protect their children”.
Opponents of the law describe it as an attack on the fundamental right of freedom of speech. De Santis vetoed a previous version of the bill, which was much stricter. This version would have banned all minors under the age of 16 from accessing the online platforms.
Also restrictions on sex sites
In addition to restricting children’s social media accounts, the law also imposes restrictions on pornographic websites. The bill, known as HB 3, requires age verification for those who visit sexually explicit websites. HB 3 goes into effect on January 1, 2025.
Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, opposed the legislation because it limits parental discretion and raises privacy concerns: users would have to provide personal information to complete age verification. Meta said it supports federal legislation and opens up new opportunities for online app stores to ensure parental consent for children’s downloads.
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(DPA/trx)
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