Gov. Ron DeSantis Raises Concerns on Social Media Bill

Florida House passes bill (HB 1) to prevent minors under 16 from creating social media accounts, raising concerns about legality.

The House overwhelmingly passed HB 1, a priority of House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast. Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, expressed support for the bill. However, Governor DeSantis expressed concerns about the legality of the bill during an appearance in Kissimmee.

DeSantis, sympathetic as a parent to the issues faced by youth, acknowledged the legal complexities of the bill. He indicated that the bill would need to evolve in the Legislature to address these concerns. Supporters of the bill argue that social media harms the mental health of children and can be used by sexual predators to communicate with minors. On the other hand, opponents claim that the bill would violate First Amendment rights.

DeSantis, an attorney, acknowledged the negative impact of social media on youth but also pointed out that similar legislation in other states has faced legal resistance. Renner, also an attorney, disputed the claim that the bill would violate First Amendment rights.

The bill aims to prevent minors under 16 from creating social media accounts and would require platforms to terminate existing accounts held by children younger than 16. It would also allow parents to request the termination of minors' accounts. Additionally, the bill would require platforms to use independent organizations to conduct age verifications for new accounts and deny accounts for people who do not verify their ages. The organizations would be required to delete the data after ages are verified.

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