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The Florida Home of Representatives handed legislation that might prohibit anybody underneath 16 within the state from holding accounts with sure social media platforms. The invoice now heads for Republican Governor Ron DeSantis’ desk.
On Thursday, the Home handed Home Invoice 1 in a vote of 108-7, in accordance with online records. HB1, or Online Protections for Minors, would require some social media platforms to confirm the age of account holders, prohibit youngsters underneath 16 from creating a brand new account, and terminate the accounts of anybody they imagine to be underneath 16.
This vote got here simply hours after the Senate handed the laws on Thursday morning in a vote of 23-14.
It would now head to the desk of DeSantis, who might signal it or veto it. DeSantis has spoken beforehand about his beliefs that folks ought to have a task on this invoice.
“As a lot as I believe its dangerous to have individuals on these social media platforms for 5 or 6 hours a day, a mum or dad can supervise a child to make use of it extra sparingly,” DeSantis mentioned in a press convention on Thursday morning.
The governor added that he’s engaged on ensuring there’s a position for fogeys within the decision-making course of about whether or not their youngsters ought to have entry to social media. He has additionally mentioned that folks ought to have the suitable to choose in if they need their youngsters to be on these platforms.
“And I’m a critic of social media, however I’ve to have a look at this from a mum or dad’s perspective,” DeSantis added.
The invoice’s description of social media platforms that might fall underneath the necessities seems to be wide-ranging. The invoice consists of social media corporations that enable customers to add content material and have at the least 10% of its day by day lively customers underneath the age of 16 spend at the least two hours a day on the platform, on common. It additionally consists of corporations that use algorithms to investigate knowledge and have push alerts and steady scrolling or auto-play video.
The invoice was filed on January 5. Nevertheless it faces an unsure future.
A federal choose earlier this month quickly blocked the same Ohio legislation that sought to control youngsters’ entry to social media platforms, saying that the legislation is probably going unconstitutional.
The order by District Decide Algenon Marbley reiterates what Marbley mentioned final month when he issued an emergency order halting the Ohio legislation from going into impact. Ohio’s laws would have required social media platforms to acquire parental consent earlier than creating accounts for kids underneath age 16.
It was the most recent blow to states which have vowed a crackdown on social media within the face of mounting claims that the know-how contributes to psychological well being harms.
And it highlights the various authorized hurdles dealing with calls to ban social media for younger People.
CNN’s Brian Fung contributed to this report.