Under 14-year-olds in the U.S. state of Florida are now banned from having their own social media accounts.
It’s after the state passed new laws aimed at restricting children’s social media access this week.
Further, the legislation includes penalties of up to $US50,000 ($AU76,500) per underage account for social media platforms found in breach of the new rules.
Florida banned social media
Draft legislation to restrict under 16-year-olds on social media was introduced in Florida earlier this year, but it was blocked by state Governor Ron DeSantis.
DeSantis promised a “different, superior bill” instead, that would include better privacy protections and rights for parents.
The newer legislation means anyone in Florida under 14 is banned from having a social media account. Users aged between 15-16 can use social media but must receive permission from a parent/carer.
Other states
Several other U.S. states have introduced similar laws to restrict children on social media.
In Utah, for example, underage users need parental permission before they can access their own social media accounts.
Social media companies face fines of up to $US2,500 ($AU3,800) per user for failing to enforce Utah’s consent requirement.
New laws
Companies like Meta (which owns Facebook and Instagram) now face significant fines for breaching Florida’s new underage account laws.
This includes some of the harshest penalties for social media networks in the U.S.
However, it’s hoped the fines will compel platforms to uphold the ban and improve their age verification processes.
Response
NetChoice, an internet safety and privacy firm that represents social media companies, warned that platforms will need to “collect sensitive information from their users” to abide by Florida’s new legislation.
NetChoice has argued against age verification and parental consent laws, saying these requirements raise “serious privacy concerns.”
