Florida Law Limiting Social Media Access for Young Teens Takes Effect
THE Children’s Online Privacy Protection Actwhich took effect in 2000, set the minimum age for social media users in the United States at 13.
Florida lawmakers want teens to wait a little longer.
Parliamentary Bill 3signed by Governor Ron DeSantis in March, took effect at the start of the new year. But social platforms are not required to start implementing it immediately, as a preliminary ruling from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida in Tallahassee on a challenge to the law is not expected until February.
The bill requires platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok to delete the accounts of users under the age of 16 and stipulates that teenagers must be 16 to create an account on these platforms themselves. Individuals ages 14-15 may do so with the permission and supervision of a parent or guardian.
HB3 covers platforms with addictive features, which lawmakers described as:
Infinite scrolling, meaning content that loads continuously or as the user scrolls down the page, without the need to open a separate page. Fluid content, i.e. pages without visible or apparent breaks or ends. Push notifications that alert users to specific activities or events related to their account. Personal interactive metrics that tell users how many times other users have clicked a button on the app to respond to their content, or reposted or shared that content. Autoplay videos that play without a user having to click a play button. Live streaming or similar features that allow advertisers or users to stream live video in real time.
If the legal challenge is dismissed and enforcement begins, social media companies face potential fines of up to $50,000 per violation.
Industrial groups Computer and Communications Industry Association and NetChoice rejected HB3 by filing a trial in October, in which they said: “In a nation that values the First Amendment, the preferred response is to let parents decide what speech and media their minor children can access, including using the many tools available to monitor their Internet activities. »
“The way this bill is structured, it does not engage in any regulation of speech,” DeSantis said in a statement. “It’s basically about identifying the feature that causes harm: addictive features. »
