Social Media Ban For Teens Under 16 Passes FL House

TALLAHASSEE, FL — A bill that would ban Florida children under 16 from using social media passed the Florida House of Representatives this week with nearly all lawmakers voting in favor of the legislation.

The Social Media Use for Minors Act — or House Bill 1 — passed the House in a 106-13 vote. If passed, the bill would require social media platforms to prohibit all minors under 16 from creating new accounts as well as terminate existing accounts and implement measures to verify a user's age.

The bill doesn't list which platforms would be affected.

The bill was sponsored by Rep. Tyler Sirois, a Republican from Brevard County.

"We must act to protect Florida’s children from these addictive features, the mental health disorders caused by excessive use, and the risk of exposure to predatory activities," Sirois said, according to a WFLA report.

If passed, the bill would also require social media companies to implement a third-party system to verify a user's age and delete all personal data collected on minors under 16.

A third reading of the bill was held Wednesday. It now advances to the Fiscal Policy Committee.

While other states have considered similar legislation, most have not proposed a total ban. In Arkansas, a federal judge blocked enforcement of a law in August that required parental consent for minors to create new social media accounts.

The Florida bill drew support from both parties, who cited concern for minors facing bullying, exploitation, and mental health crises as a result of social media use, the Florida Phoenix reported.

Democratic Rep. Michele Rayner said she posted her position on the bill on X on Tuesday, and she referred to her deceased mother. On the House floor Wednesday, she read some of the hateful comments she received from the platform's users, including people who posted, “Your mother sucks” and “Your mom was stupid.”

“I'm 42 years old ... and comments like these were a gut punch to me, but I was able to navigate,” she said. "Imagine what our babies have to deal with when they have their friends in school doing the same cyberbullying to them."

Opponents argued the bill would violate the First Amendment and take away benefits some children get from social media. And they said parents should make the decisions on which sites their children can visit.

Democratic Rep. Anna Eskamani said social media was an outlet and comfort where she could find support after her mother died when she was 13.

“I think the intention of those who have filed (the bill) is absolutely golden. We have a concern about the impact of social media on our young people,” she said. “I just find the solution that you propose too broad and casts a wide net with unintended consequences.”

Meta, the company that owns Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms, urged the House to seek another solution, such as requiring parental approval to download apps. It also wants the issue addressed on a federal level rather than a patchwork of different state laws.

“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,” Meta representative Caulder Harvill-Childs wrote to the House Judiciary Committee. “By banning teens under 16, Florida risks putting its young people at a disadvantage versus teens elsewhere.”

If passed, the bill would go into effect on July 1.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.