The House of Representatives of the US state of Florida banned children under 16 from using social networks, approving the legislation by 106 votes to 13 on Wednesday.
Speaker Paul Renner declared the bill a priority of the legislative session, arguing that living online has put the mental health of Florida teenagers at risk, according to local media.
“Children have always faced mean girls and boys. But social media has changed the game and causes unprecedented damage to our children’s mental health. We must address the harmful effects social media platforms have on the development and well-being of our kids. Florida has a compelling state interest and duty to protect our children, their mental health, and their childhood.”
Supporters of the bill stated that it was impossible to ignore the dangerous environment that had arisen on social networks. State legislator Tyler Sirois argued that social media content was “more like a digital drug” rather than a source of entertainment.
However, opponents of the bill from the Democratic Party claimed that such a change in state law would cut off opportunities to find positive communities and even to start a business. Moreover, critics argue that the measure jeopardises the rights of parents.
Meta, the company that owns Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms, called on the House of Representatives to look for another solution, such as requiring parental approval to download apps. Meta representative Caulder Harvill-Childs wrote the following to the House Judiciary Committee:
Many teens today leverage the internet and apps to responsibly gather information and learn about new opportunities, including part-time jobs, higher education, civic or church gatherings, and military service.
