Backlash over new state law banning kids from social media

Reporter: Camila Pereira Writer: Carolina Guzman
Published: Updated:

From body image issues to bullying and, even worse, depression and suicide.

We talk about how dangerous social media is for our children all the time, but a new state law that would ban kids from the apps is getting backlash. 

The bill was supposed to go into effect at the beginning of January but has since hit some roadblocks.

This new law would impact thousands of middle school students across our state, including hundreds at Fort Myers Middle Academy.

Social media industry groups have filed a lawsuit, but Florida’s Attorney General Ashely Moody fired back this week after filing two documents on Monday, urging a federal judge to dismiss the lawsuit and help move this new state law.

Now, this state law, known as the social media law, aims to keep children off social media platforms for their safety.

More specifically, kids under 14 years old.

The law would prevent them from creating accounts on some social media platforms, and delete any existing accounts they believe to belong to a child under 14.

However, the law will allow kids who are 14 and 15 years old to be able to create accounts on some social media platforms as long as they have their parent or guardian’s consent.

We’ve heard from numerous elected state officials and even health experts about why this law should or should not go into effect.

“This is a well-intentioned bill, but we cannot teach people how to be parents. Parents, at some point, have to step up and teach their kids,” said State Senator Bobby Powell, who represents West Palm Beach.

“We are what we ingest, whether it’s food, media, or what happens in our home; that’s how we grow, and that’s how our brain is wired. Unfortunately, what’s on social media is not necessarily the reality of life, and it’s very hard for young children who don’t have that balance to know this isn’t real,” said Carolyn Staley-Penix, of Naples Alliance on Mental Health.

How would this law work if it successfully goes into effect? That’s what we’re hoping to learn as this law continues to be looked at. 

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