Florida bill to age-restrict social media passes first hurdle

A new bill that would ban children from activating a social media account until age 16 has breezed past its first hurdle.

The bill label as HB-1 or “Social Media Use for Minors,” was voted favorable by the House Committee, moving onto the Judiciary Committee.

The Florida House Regulatory Reform and Economic Development Subcommittee approved the measure in a 13 to 1 vote, hoping that this will keep children safe in the long run.

• RELATED: 2024 Florida legislative bills to look out for this year

The Judiciary Committee will then study the bill, then, if passed, will move to the full house for a vote.

The bill itself will block teenagers under the age of 16 from creating social media accounts with popular services like Facebook, TikTok, X and Instagram.

If passed, the bill would require social media companies to delete any existing accounts or information stored by their apps with or without permission from parents.

The bill will also cover the use of third-party age verification methods to check the ages of new users.

According to a study done by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, about 46% of teenagers said social media has made them feel worse about their body image.

• READ ALSO: Proposed Florida bill will keep cash an option in cashless businesses

The bill has been met with criticism from Florida House Democrats, arguing that the bill would restrict freedom of speech and parental rights.

The bill is far from flawless, as Republican Representative Fiona McFarland, the bill’s sponsor, suggested that children will find loopholes to gain access to their favorite social media platforms.

If the bill is signed into law, it will go into effect on July 1.